Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Luque and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Luque: $1,050 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Luque
🇵🇾 Paraguay
$1,050
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Luque vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Luque $1,050
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,582 per month in Luque vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Luque $1,582
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,115 per month in Luque vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Luque $2,115
  • Nosara $3,818

Luque is about 43% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Luque sits 22% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Luque
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41 ₲25.1K
$12.35 ₡5,539
-64.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.23 ₲200.3K
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-42.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.17 ₲29.4K
$7.52 ₡3,373
-31.25%
Cappuccino
$3.40 ₲19.3K
$4.41 ₡1,978
-22.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 ₲6,078
$1.74 ₡780
-38.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₲3,265
$1.31 ₡587
-56.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 ₲11.1K
$3.28 ₡1,471
-40.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ₲10.2K
$4.47 ₡2,004
-59.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Luque
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 ₲7,347
$1.56 ₡701
-17.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 ₲8,720
$3.02 ₡1,355
-49.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 ₲7,950
$2.51 ₡1,125
-44.22%
Eggs
$2.09 ₲11.9K
$3.57 ₡1,603
-41.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.18 ₲57.9K
$7.43 ₡3,333
37.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.20 ₲29.6K
$10.52 ₡4,717
-50.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.19 ₲57.9K
$13.97 ₡6,265
-27.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 ₲17.1K
$2.35 ₡1,052
28.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.25 ₲7,119
$1.61 ₡720
-22.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 ₲7,101
$4.80 ₡2,152
-73.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.47 ₲14.0K
$1.61 ₡724
53.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.35 ₲7,685
$3.80 ₡1,703
-64.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ₲7,853
$3.69 ₡1,657
-62.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 ₲5,194
$1.13 ₡507
-19.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ₲4,425
$2.66 ₡1,191
-70.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 ₲13.1K
$5.18 ₡2,321
-55.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.54 ₲54.2K
$19.88 ₡8,916
-52.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₲7,682
$2.90 ₡1,300
-53.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 ₲10.3K
$3.63 ₡1,626
-50.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Luque
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.73 ₲4,153
$1.12 ₡504
-34.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 ₲8,529
$2.14 ₡958
-29.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.62 ₲9,191
$1.57 ₡703
3.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.44 ₲59.4K
$8.52 ₡3,823
22.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 ₲7,311
$1.52 ₡682
-15.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K ₲101.8M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-17.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K ₲200.6M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
2.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luque
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$26.84 ₲152.6K
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-72.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.64 ₲100.3K
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-50.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.79 ₲118.2K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-61.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Luque
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.51 ₲281.5K
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-30.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.65 ₲49.2K
$7.89 ₡3,539
9.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Luque
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$184 ₲1.0M
$494 ₡221.6K
-62.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,747 ₲27.0M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-59.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Luque
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.0 ₲363.9K
$53.9 ₡24.2K
18.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.6 ₲327.5K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
3.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 ₲607.9K
$77.9 ₡34.9K
37.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.7 ₲407.6K
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-9.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Luque
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$440 ₲2.5M
$788 ₡353.4K
-44.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$440 ₲2.5M
$794 ₡356.2K
-44.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,484 ₲8.4M
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-62.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 ₲3.8M
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-52.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,272 ₲7.2M
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-81.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Luque
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$488 ₲2.8M
$864 ₡387.3K
-43.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.15
8.62
17.75%

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

Last update for Luque: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Luque
$440
Nosara
$794 80.5% $354
Groceries & Markets
Luque
$218
Nosara
$352 61.3% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Luque
$135
Nosara
$120 11.1% $15
Eating Out
Luque
$112
Nosara
$212 90% $100
Sport & Entertainment
Luque
$67
Nosara
$87 30.8% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Luque
$65
Nosara
$186 185% $120
Getting Around
Luque
$13 *
Nosara
$87 597% $75

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Luque versus $788 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 77% higher in Nosara, 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 $35.00 in Luque versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $352 – making Luque the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇾 Luque
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
15:39 3:39 PM
12:39 12:39 PM
3 h behind Luque
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
224,000
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to PYG – Paraguayan Guarani Converter

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Luque Nosara 4,970 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Luque
  • 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
Luque vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Luque?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,575 per month in Luque and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Luque, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Luque and in Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,050 in Luque and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 75%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $184 per month in Luque and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Luque or in Nosara?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Luque, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Luque it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Luque or Nosara more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Luque – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Luque or Nosara?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Luque. 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.

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