Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jamestown and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown: $89.5 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Jamestown

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$89.5

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jamestown and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jamestown and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $89.5 per month in Jamestown vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Jamestown $89.5
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $154 per month in Jamestown vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Jamestown $154
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $219 per month in Jamestown vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Jamestown $219
Nosara $3,712

Jamestown is about 95% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jamestown sits 93% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 SHP 1.37

$3.17 ₡1,429

-42.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$5.27 SHP 3.98

$3.57 ₡1,609

47.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 SHP 8.15

$13.66 ₡6,156

-21.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SHP 0.98

$2.55 ₡1,149

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 SHP 9.11

$4.95 ₡2,232

143.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Jamestown: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Jamestown

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Jamestown

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Jamestown

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jamestown

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Jamestown

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Jamestown

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Jamestown

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Good to know

🇸🇭 Jamestown

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

07:13 7:13 AM

01:13 1:13 AM

6 h behind Jamestown

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

600 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 SHP = 1.32 USD

1 SHP = 1.18 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to SHP – Saint Helena Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇭 Saint Helena Pound (£)

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.755 SHP (1 SHP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.847 SHP (1 SHP = 1.18 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to SHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jamestown Nosara 9,250 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Jamestown
Nosara

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

Jamestown vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 1952%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $134 per month in Jamestown and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $89.5 in Jamestown and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 1952%.

Groceries cost about 301% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jamestown, where all-in costs run around $89.5, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Jamestown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jamestown – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jamestown. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.