Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lelydorp and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Lelydorp: $198 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Lelydorp

🇸🇷 Suriname

$198

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lelydorp 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 Lelydorp and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $198 in Lelydorp versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Lelydorp $198
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $403 in Lelydorp versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Lelydorp $403
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $608 in Lelydorp versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Lelydorp $608
Nosara $3,712

Living in Lelydorp costs roughly 89% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lelydorp is 85% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.91 SRD 184

$12.22 ₡5,509

-59.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 SRD 1,297

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-42.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 SRD 229

$7.54 ₡3,399

-18.97%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.28 SRD 47.84

$1.72 ₡773

-25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 SRD 17.44

$1.35 ₡608

-65.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SRD 76.9

$3.24 ₡1,459

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SRD 109

$4.48 ₡2,018

-35.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 SRD 45.86

$1.57 ₡707

-22.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SRD 37.87

$3.17 ₡1,429

-68.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 SRD 45.46

$2.42 ₡1,091

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.76 SRD 103

$3.57 ₡1,609

-22.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 SRD 154

$10.42 ₡4,697

-60.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 SRD 295

$13.66 ₡6,156

-42.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 SRD 57.1

$1.61 ₡728

-5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 SRD 36.77

$3.72 ₡1,679

-73.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 SRD 36.52

$3.57 ₡1,611

-72.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 SRD 30.90

$2.55 ₡1,149

-67.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SRD 73.9

$2.79 ₡1,256

-29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 SRD 19.67

$1.19 ₡537

-56.30%

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)

$0.89 SRD 33.33

$1.57 ₡708

-43.31%

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)

$301 SRD 11.3K

$876 ₡395.0K

-65.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

97.22%

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

Last update for Lelydorp: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lelydorp

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Lelydorp

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Lelydorp

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lelydorp

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Lelydorp

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Lelydorp

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Lelydorp

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Cost Breakdown

Nosara pays 192% 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: $35.00 in Lelydorp vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $350 per month, with Lelydorp cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇷 Lelydorp

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:10 4:10 AM

01:10 1:10 AM

3 h behind Lelydorp

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,000

4,912

💱 Currency

Surinamese Dollar SRD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 SRD = 2.67 USD

100 SRD = 2.38 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to SRD – Surinamese Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇷 Surinamese Dollar ($)

Surinamese Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 37.47 SRD (100 SRD = 2.67 USD). 1 EUR = 42.03 SRD (100 SRD = 2.38 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 SRD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lelydorp Nosara 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lelydorp
Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Lelydorp vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lelydorp wins on cost – living expenses run 827% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lelydorp the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 192% 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.

All in, you'll spend $198 per month in Lelydorp versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 827% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 201% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $198 in Lelydorp versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lelydorp but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Lelydorp the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lelydorp delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $198 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lelydorp hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lelydorp 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 Lelydorp gentler on the wallet – expenses run 827% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.