Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lugano and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $3,199 in Lugano, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

154

Cost of Living Index in Lugano
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Lugano Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Lugano

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,199

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,199 per month in Lugano vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Lugano $3,199
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $5,142 per month in Lugano vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Lugano $5,142
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $7,084 per month in Lugano vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Lugano $7,084
Nosara $3,712

Lugano costs about 74% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lugano and Nosara sit above the global median – Lugano by 139%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.83 CHF 28.08

$12.22 ₡5,509

176.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$177 CHF 147

$60.2 ₡27.1K

193.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.24 CHF 16.80

$7.54 ₡3,399

168.44%

Cappuccino

$4.49 CHF 3.73

$4.31 ₡1,941

4.18%

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

$4.98 CHF 4.13

$1.72 ₡773

189.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 CHF 3.22

$1.35 ₡608

187.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.41 CHF 7.81

$3.24 ₡1,459

190.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 CHF 6.02

$4.48 ₡2,018

62.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.81

$1.57 ₡707

38.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 CHF 3.06

$3.17 ₡1,429

16.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.50

$2.42 ₡1,091

74.38%

Eggs

$7.24 CHF 6.01

$3.57 ₡1,609

102.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.05 CHF 20.79

$7.43 ₡3,349

237.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.40 CHF 24.40

$10.42 ₡4,697

182.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.60 CHF 32.87

$13.66 ₡6,156

189.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.73

$2.32 ₡1,044

41.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 CHF 1.35

$1.61 ₡728

0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 2.02

$4.74 ₡2,138

-48.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 CHF 4.86

$1.66 ₡747

252.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CHF 1.48

$3.72 ₡1,679

-51.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.82

$3.57 ₡1,611

-38.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CHF 2.01

$1.10 ₡497

120.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CHF 0.92

$2.55 ₡1,149

-56.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 CHF 9.03

$4.95 ₡2,232

119.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CHF 10.31

$20.01 ₡9,020

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CHF 2.60

$2.79 ₡1,256

12.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 CHF 3.36

$3.53 ₡1,589

14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 CHF 2.63

$1.19 ₡537

166.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CHF 51.7

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-13.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 CHF 5.83

$2.24 ₡1,011

213.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.70 CHF 4.73

$1.55 ₡701

267.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.7 CHF 65.3

$8.86 ₡3,993

788.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.82

$1.57 ₡708

39.49%

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

$34.5K CHF 28.7K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

58.41%

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

$39.3K CHF 32.6K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

13.33%

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

$299 CHF 248

$93.5 ₡42.1K

219.95%

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

$21.76 CHF 18.06

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-38.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.69 CHF 40.41

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-5.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.1 CHF 73.9

$71.4 ₡32.2K

24.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.33 CHF 30.15

$35.44 ₡16.0K

2.51%

Cinema Ticket

$21.77 CHF 18.07

$7.84 ₡3,535

177.68%

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

$1,206 CHF 1,001

$490 ₡220.7K

146.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 28.5K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

189.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 90.7

$53.5 ₡24.1K

104.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.60 CHF 40.34

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-12.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 110

$79.3 ₡35.7K

66.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 134

$78.9 ₡35.6K

105.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 CHF 1,403

$786 ₡354.3K

115.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CHF 1,043

$780 ₡351.6K

61.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,534 CHF 2,933

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,520 CHF 2,092

$1,407 ₡634.4K

79.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 13.3K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

129.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K CHF 8,842

$1,201 ₡541.3K

787.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,585 CHF 5,466

$876 ₡395.0K

651.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.37

8.62

-72.51%

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

Last update for Lugano: 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

Lugano

$1.3K 39.9%

Nosara

$780 43% 37.9% $476

Groceries & Markets

Lugano

$592 18.8%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 41% $242

Eating Out

Lugano

$482 15.3%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 56.6% $273

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lugano

$369 11.7%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 51.3% $189

Clothing & Footwear

Lugano

$203 6.5%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 40.8% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Lugano

$133 4.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 34.3% $46

Getting Around

Lugano

$110 3.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 21.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,690 in Lugano versus $786 in Nosara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 651% higher in Lugano, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $177 in Lugano versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $592 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Lugano

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:27 4:27 AM

20:27 8:27 PM

8 h behind Lugano

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,583

4,912

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.2 USD

1 CHF = 1.07 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 0.931 CHF (1 CHF = 1.07 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 CHF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lugano Nosara 9,560 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Lugano
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

Lugano vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lugano costs about 74% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,799 per month in Lugano and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,199 in Lugano and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 74%.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Lugano at $3,199. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lugano it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,837 versus $3,199 in Lugano. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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