For one person, living is cheaper in Khoy: $349 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Khoy and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $349 in Khoy versus $1,839 in Nosara.
Khoy $349
Nosara $1,839
Estimated couple costs with rent: $713 in Khoy versus $2,828 in Nosara.
Khoy $713
Nosara $2,828
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,078 in Khoy versus $3,818 in Nosara.
Khoy $1,078
Nosara $3,818
🌍
Living in Khoy costs roughly 81% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Khoy is 74% below, Nosara is 36% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.83$1.83
$12.35₡5,539
-85.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.03$16.03
$61.2₡27.4K
-73.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.38$4.38
$7.52₡3,373
-41.76%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.68$0.68
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11$1.11
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.09$1.09
$4.41₡1,978
-75.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48$0.48
$1.74₡780
-72.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96$0.96
$1.31₡587
-26.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.28₡1,471
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.47₡2,004
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.64$0.64
$1.56₡701
-58.97%
White Bread(500g)
$0.49$0.49
$3.02₡1,355
-83.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.08$2.08
$2.51₡1,125
-17.13%
Eggs
$1.23$1.23
$3.57₡1,603
-65.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.50$4.50
$7.43₡3,333
-39.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.45$3.45
$10.52₡4,717
-67.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.03$10.03
$13.97₡6,265
-28.20%
Apples(1kg)
$1.01$1.01
$2.35₡1,052
-57.02%
Banana(1kg)
$1.41$1.41
$1.61₡720
-12.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.12$1.12
$4.80₡2,152
-76.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.63$0.63
$1.61₡724
-60.87%
Potato(1kg)
$0.55$0.55
$3.80₡1,703
-85.53%
Onion(1kg)
$0.61$0.61
$3.69₡1,657
-83.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.54$0.54
$1.13₡507
-52.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27$0.27
$2.66₡1,191
-89.85%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$0.81$0.81
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.54$0.54
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51$1.51
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46$2.46
$5.18₡2,321
-52.51%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$19.88₡8,916
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.90₡1,300
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.63₡1,626
-
🚌 Getting Around
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.14$0.14
$1.12₡504
-87.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.53$9.53
$72.6₡32.6K
-86.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.35$0.35
$2.14₡958
-83.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32$0.32
$1.57₡703
-79.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.74$2.74
$8.52₡3,823
-67.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.10$0.10
$1.52₡682
-93.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K$50.8K
$21.6K₡9.7M
134.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.7K$43.7K
$34.5K₡15.5M
26.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$13.17$13.17
$96.3₡43.2K
-86.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.15$2.15
$35.89₡16.1K
-94.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.73$3.73
$53.6₡24.0K
-93.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.35$18.35
$71.6₡32.1K
-74.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.29$14.29
$34.91₡15.7K
-59.07%
Cinema Ticket
$1.99$1.99
$7.89₡3,539
-74.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$94.6$94.6
$494₡221.6K
-80.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,250$2,250
$11.9K₡5.3M
-81.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.83$22.83
$53.9₡24.2K
-57.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.20$28.20
$55.4₡24.8K
-49.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8$85.8
$77.9₡34.9K
10.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$27.23$27.23
$79.6₡35.7K
-65.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$92.0$92.0
$788₡353.4K
-88.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$60.2$60.2
$794₡356.2K
-92.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$801$801
$3,939₡1.8M
-79.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$358$358
$1,419₡636.5K
-74.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,154$1,154
$6,912₡3.1M
-83.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$527$527
$1,224₡549.0K
-56.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Khoy
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$213$213
$864₡387.3K
-75.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
24.3
8.62
181.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Khoy: October 10, 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.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Khoy
$115 32.9%
Nosara
$352 19.2% ↑ 207%$237
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Khoy
$74 21.2%
Nosara
$120 6.5% ↑ 62.6%$46
🏠Accommodation & Living
Khoy
$60 17.3%
Nosara
$794 43.2% ↑ 1220%$734
🍽Eating Out
Khoy
$47 13.4%
Nosara
$212 11.5% ↑ 354%$165
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Khoy
$22 6.4%
Nosara
$87 4.8% ↑ 291%$65
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khoy
$19 5.5%
Nosara
$186 10.1% ↑ 876%$167
🚌Getting Around
Khoy
$12 3.5%
Nosara
$87 4.7% ↑ 623%$75
🛒Groceries & Markets
Khoy
$282 26.1%
Nosara
$790 20.7% ↑ 181%$508
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Khoy
$164 15.2%
Nosara
$267 7% ↑ 62.6%$103
🏠Accommodation & Living
Khoy
$358 33.2%
Nosara
$1.4K 37.2% ↑ 297%$1.1K
🍽Eating Out
Khoy
$170 15.8%
Nosara
$734 19.2% ↑ 332%$564
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Khoy
$59 5.5%
Nosara
$210 5.5% ↑ 256%$151
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khoy
$21 2%
Nosara
$222 5.8% ↑ 946%$200
🚌Getting Around
Khoy
$24 2.3%
Nosara
$176 4.6% ↑ 624%$152
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.0 in Khoy and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Nosara pays 306% 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: $16.00 in Khoy vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $115 vs $352 per month, with Khoy 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
Khoy vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Khoy and in Nosara?
Khoy and Nosara differ by about 427% in total monthly costs ($349 vs $1,839 including rent). Khoy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 306% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Khoy and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $92.0 in Khoy versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Khoy – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Khoy or Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $349 per month in Khoy versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 427% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $349 in Khoy versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Khoy but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Khoy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Khoy and Nosara?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Khoy or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Khoy 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.
Where should expats move: Khoy or Nosara?
Expats usually find Khoy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 427% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.