Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Nosara Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Nosara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,315 in Jaco Beach versus $1,712 in Nosara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,098 in Jaco Beach versus $2,637 in Nosara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,880 in Jaco Beach versus $3,562 in Nosara.

Living in Jaco Beach costs roughly 23% less than in Nosara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jaco Beach is 2% below, Nosara is 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 ₡3,348

$11.04 ₡5,063

-33.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 ₡18.3K

$60.5 ₡27.7K

-34.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 ₡4,010

$7.09 ₡3,251

23.41%

Cappuccino

$3.80 ₡1,742

$3.89 ₡1,783

-2.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡727

$1.57 ₡721

1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₡419

$1.17 ₡534

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ₡1,341

$2.94 ₡1,349

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₡1,360

$4.71 ₡2,157

-36.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡670

$1.47 ₡673

-0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 ₡929

$2.81 ₡1,290

-27.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ₡978

$2.25 ₡1,029

-5.33%

Eggs

$2.46 ₡1,128

$2.94 ₡1,350

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₡4,498

$6.78 ₡3,109

44.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.20 ₡3,761

$9.03 ₡4,140

-9.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ₡4,937

$13.62 ₡6,244

-20.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₡2,033

$2.05 ₡938

116.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡697

$1.46 ₡670

4.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 ₡1,942

$4.18 ₡1,914

1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 ₡1,442

$1.51 ₡693

108.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 ₡622

$3.44 ₡1,578

-60.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ₡590

$3.19 ₡1,462

-59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₡394

$0.96 ₡438

-10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₡811

$2.42 ₡1,108

-26.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 ₡2,471

$4.61 ₡2,114

16.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 ₡6,351

$21.01 ₡9,633

-34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₡1,071

$2.41 ₡1,103

-2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡905

$2.85 ₡1,306

-30.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡474

$0.96 ₡440

7.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₡821

$1.80 ₡825

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡845

$1.85 ₡848

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 ₡3,665

$7.77 ₡3,561

2.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡667

$1.28 ₡587

13.28%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.4K ₡17.6M

$32.4K ₡14.9M

18.52%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.6K ₡14.9M

$32.2K ₡14.8M

1.15%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.1 ₡32.6K

$95.5 ₡43.8K

-25.54%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.66 ₡9,928

$26.09 ₡12.0K

-16.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.49 ₡19.5K

$47.42 ₡21.7K

-10.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.14 ₡21.6K

$57.8 ₡26.5K

-18.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 ₡10.9K

$23.56 ₡10.8K

0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 ₡4,460

$10.18 ₡4,666

-4.42%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$447 ₡204.8K

$442 ₡202.8K

0.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,633 ₡3.0M

$10.5K ₡4.8M

-36.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 ₡28.5K

$50.6 ₡23.2K

22.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 ₡23.8K

$51.4 ₡23.6K

1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡57.4K

$72.2 ₡33.1K

73.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.8K

$70.4 ₡32.3K

54.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 ₡255.0K

$770 ₡353.2K

-27.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₡226.8K

$733 ₡335.9K

-32.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 ₡854.9K

$1,500 ₡687.8K

24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 ₡478.6K

$1,290 ₡591.4K

-19.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡565.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ₡184.0K

$897 ₡411.3K

-55.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jaco Beach: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $556 in Jaco Beach and $770 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 124% 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: $40.00 in Jaco Beach vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $323 per month, with Jaco Beach cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jaco Beach vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Nosara earns 124% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $556 in Jaco Beach versus $770 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $447 in Jaco Beach versus $442 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,315 in Jaco Beach versus $1,712 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach 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.

Safety-wise, Jaco Beach 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.

Expats usually find Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.