For one person, living is cheaper in Homs: $528 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Homs and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $528 in Homs versus $1,839 in Nosara.
Homs $528
Nosara $1,839
Estimated couple costs with rent: $795 in Homs versus $2,828 in Nosara.
Homs $795
Nosara $2,828
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,063 in Homs versus $3,818 in Nosara.
Homs $1,063
Nosara $3,818
🌍
Living in Homs costs roughly 71% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Homs is 61% below, Nosara is 36% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Homs
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.03SYP 368
$12.35₡5,539
-75.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.16SYP 1,478
$61.2₡27.4K
-80.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.92SYP 840
$7.52₡3,373
-7.98%
Cappuccino
$0.62SYP 75.0
$4.41₡1,978
-85.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22SYP 270
$1.74₡780
27.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52SYP 63.1
$1.31₡587
-60.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.98SYP 240
$3.28₡1,471
-39.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.06SYP 493
$4.47₡2,004
-9.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Homs
Nosara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.81SYP 97.9
$1.56₡701
-48.08%
White Bread(500g)
$0.42SYP 51.0
$3.02₡1,355
-86.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.50SYP 183
$2.51₡1,125
-40.24%
Eggs
$1.57SYP 190
$3.57₡1,603
-56.02%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.95SYP 480
$7.43₡3,333
-46.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.77SYP 701
$10.52₡4,717
-45.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.15SYP 1,477
$13.97₡6,265
-13.03%
Apples(1kg)
$0.60SYP 73.3
$2.35₡1,052
-74.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40SYP 171
$1.61₡720
-13.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.58SYP 70.2
$4.80₡2,152
-87.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.33SYP 40.31
$1.61₡724
-79.50%
Potato(1kg)
$0.55SYP 66.4
$3.80₡1,703
-85.53%
Onion(1kg)
$0.79SYP 96.5
$3.69₡1,657
-78.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.27SYP 32.61
$1.13₡507
-76.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66SYP 80.1
$2.66₡1,191
-75.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.48SYP 179
$5.18₡2,321
-71.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.77SYP 459
$19.88₡8,916
-81.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.72SYP 87.6
$2.90₡1,300
-75.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94SYP 357
$3.63₡1,626
-19.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Homs
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.22SYP 26.46
$1.12₡504
-80.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$15.07SYP 1,831
$72.6₡32.6K
-79.25%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.97SYP 118
$2.14₡958
-54.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.52SYP 185
$1.57₡703
-3.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.98SYP 241
$8.52₡3,823
-76.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22SYP 148
$1.52₡682
-19.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.2KSYP 1.6M
$21.6K₡9.7M
-38.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8KSYP 2.3M
$34.5K₡15.5M
-45.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Homs
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$93.3SYP 11.3K
$96.3₡43.2K
-3.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.52SYP 1,157
$35.89₡16.1K
-73.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.79SYP 5,564
$53.6₡24.0K
-14.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Homs
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$10.04SYP 1,220
$71.6₡32.1K
-85.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.41SYP 658
$7.89₡3,539
-31.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Homs
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$53.8SYP 6,543
$494₡221.6K
-89.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$904SYP 109.8K
$11.9K₡5.3M
-92.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Homs
Nosara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$5.05SYP 614
$53.9₡24.2K
-90.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.04SYP 2,435
$55.4₡24.8K
-63.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.9SYP 7,399
$77.9₡34.9K
-21.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.39SYP 3,693
$79.6₡35.7K
-61.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Homs
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$123SYP 14.9K
$788₡353.4K
-84.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$53.5SYP 6,500
$794₡356.2K
-93.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$352SYP 42.8K
$3,939₡1.8M
-91.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$138SYP 16.7K
$1,419₡636.5K
-90.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$6,912₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,224₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Homs
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$72.3SYP 8,790
$864₡387.3K
-91.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14.25
8.62
65.31%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Homs: October 11, 2026
Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Homs
$149 28.2%
Nosara
$186 10.1% ↑ 25%$37
🛒Groceries & Markets
Homs
$146 27.7%
Nosara
$352 19.2% ↑ 141%$206
🍽Eating Out
Homs
$81 15.4%
Nosara
$212 11.5% ↑ 160%$130
🏠Accommodation & Living
Homs
$53 10.1%
Nosara
$794 43.2% ↑ 1385%$741
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Homs
$52 9.9%
Nosara
$120 6.5% ↑ 129%$68
🚌Getting Around
Homs
$25 4.7%
Nosara
$87 4.7% ↑ 255%$63
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Homs
$21 4%
Nosara
$87 4.8% ↑ 319%$67
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Homs
$158 14.9%
Nosara
$222 5.8% ↑ 40.2%$64
🛒Groceries & Markets
Homs
$346 32.6%
Nosara
$790 20.7% ↑ 128%$444
🍽Eating Out
Homs
$213 20.1%
Nosara
$734 19.2% ↑ 244%$521
🏠Accommodation & Living
Homs
$138 13%
Nosara
$1.4K 37.2% ↑ 930%$1.3K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Homs
$116 11%
Nosara
$267 7% ↑ 129%$151
🚌Getting Around
Homs
$49 4.7%
Nosara
$176 4.6% ↑ 257%$127
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Homs
$42 * 3.9%
Nosara
$210 5.5% ↑ 403%$168
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Homs and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Nosara pays 1094% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $12.00 in Homs vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $146 vs $352 per month, with Homs cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Homs vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Homs?
Homs is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 249% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Homs or Nosara?
On paper, salaries run 1094% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Homs and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $123 in Homs versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $53.8 in Homs versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Homs and in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 141% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Homs or in Nosara?
At $528 in Homs versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homs but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Homs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Homs or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Homs is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Homs or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Homs and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Homs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.