Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Northampton and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,447 in Northampton, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Northampton
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,447
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,447 per month in Northampton vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Northampton $2,447
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $3,526 per month in Northampton vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Northampton $3,526
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $4,604 per month in Northampton vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Northampton $4,604
  • Nosara $3,818

Northampton costs about 33% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Northampton and Nosara sit above the global median – Northampton by 81%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.91 £19.44
$12.35 ₡5,539
109.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.1 £58.6
$61.2 ₡27.4K
27.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.68 £8.01
$7.52 ₡3,373
42.02%
Cappuccino
$5.07 £3.81
$4.41 ₡1,978
14.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 £1.79
$1.74 ₡780
37.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 £1.49
$1.31 ₡587
51.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.51 £4.14
$3.28 ₡1,471
67.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29 £3.97
$4.47 ₡2,004
18.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 £1.13
$1.56 ₡701
-3.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 £1.37
$3.02 ₡1,355
-39.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 £2.10
$2.51 ₡1,125
11.55%
Eggs
$3.97 £2.98
$3.57 ₡1,603
11.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.09 £6.82
$7.43 ₡3,333
22.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.30 £6.23
$10.52 ₡4,717
-21.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.70 £12.53
$13.97 ₡6,265
19.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.35 £2.51
$2.35 ₡1,052
42.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 £1.21
$1.61 ₡720
0.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.07 £2.30
$4.80 ₡2,152
-36.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.38 £2.54
$1.61 ₡724
109.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 £0.86
$3.80 ₡1,703
-69.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 £1.32
$3.69 ₡1,657
-52.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.29 £0.97
$1.13 ₡507
14.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 £0.93
$2.66 ₡1,191
-53.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.21 £17.42
$5.18 ₡2,321
348.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 £7.47
$19.88 ₡8,916
-49.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.30 £2.48
$2.90 ₡1,300
13.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 £2.21
$3.63 ₡1,626
-18.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.21 £2.41
$1.12 ₡504
186.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$124 £92.9
$72.6 ₡32.6K
70.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.03 £3.03
$2.14 ₡958
88.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.97 £2.98
$1.57 ₡703
152.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.28 £24.21
$8.52 ₡3,823
278.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.49
$1.52 ₡682
30.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K £28.1K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
73.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.4K £30.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
16.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$368 £276
$96.3 ₡43.2K
282.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.13 £12.85
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-52.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.24 £33.19
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-17.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.03 £24.03
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-55.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.95 £15.72
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-39.99%
Cinema Ticket
$13.10 £9.83
$7.89 ₡3,539
66.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,559 £1,170
$494 ₡221.6K
215.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.8 £62.9
$53.9 ₡24.2K
55.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.26 £30.20
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-27.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.0 £55.5
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-5.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 £81.3
$79.6 ₡35.7K
36.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 £815
$788 ₡353.4K
37.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 £751
$794 ₡356.2K
25.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,676 £1,257
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-57.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,562 £1,172
$1,419 ₡636.5K
10.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,548 £2,662
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-48.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,462 £2,597
$1,224 ₡549.0K
182.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Northampton
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,587 £2,691
$864 ₡387.3K
315.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.21
8.62
-39.56%

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

Last update for Northampton: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Northampton
$1K
Nosara
$794 20.6% $206
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Northampton
$430
Nosara
$186 56.7% $244
Eating Out
Northampton
$356
Nosara
$212 40.5% $144
Groceries & Markets
Northampton
$304
Nosara
$352 15.8% $48
Getting Around
Northampton
$161
Nosara
$87 45.7% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Northampton
$138
Nosara
$120 12.9% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Northampton
$58
Nosara
$87 50% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Northampton 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 315% higher in Northampton, 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 $78.0 in Northampton versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Northampton vs $352 in Nosara – so Northampton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Northampton
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
22:49 10:49 PM
15:49 3:49 PM
7 h behind Northampton
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
245,899
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 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
  • Northampton Nosara 8,780 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Northampton
  • 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
Northampton vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Northampton or Nosara?
Northampton costs about 33% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Northampton and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,670 per month in Northampton and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Northampton or Nosara?
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.
How expensive is transport in Northampton compared to Nosara?
Public transport costs about 70% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Northampton and in Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $1,559 per month in Northampton and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Northampton or in Nosara?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Northampton at $2,447. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Northampton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Northampton or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,839 versus $2,447 in Northampton. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Northampton compared to 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.
Should I move to Northampton or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Northampton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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