Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Acosta Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Acosta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,712 in Nosara versus $1,601 in Acosta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,637 in Nosara versus $2,400 in Acosta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,562 in Nosara versus $3,200 in Acosta.

Living in Nosara is roughly 7% more expensive than Acosta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 28% above, Acosta 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡5,046

$9.81 ₡4,481

12.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$50.9 ₡23.2K

18.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ₡3,240

$9.85 ₡4,501

-28.02%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,777

$3.85 ₡1,760

1.04%

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

$1.57 ₡719

$2.04 ₡934

-23.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₡533

$1.64 ₡749

-28.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₡1,345

$3.05 ₡1,391

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,150

$4.62 ₡2,112

1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡671

$2.03 ₡928

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ₡1,286

$2.76 ₡1,261

1.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,026

$2.21 ₡1,010

1.81%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,345

$2.89 ₡1,321

1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 ₡3,099

$10.02 ₡4,576

-32.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 ₡4,126

$9.36 ₡4,278

-3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,223

$13.92 ₡6,360

-2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₡935

$4.43 ₡2,026

-53.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡668

$1.52 ₡696

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,908

$4.22 ₡1,928

-0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₡691

$3.18 ₡1,454

-52.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,573

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,457

$3.04 ₡1,389

4.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡437

$0.95 ₡435

1.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,104

$2.80 ₡1,279

-13.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ₡2,107

$4.85 ₡2,217

-4.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 ₡9,601

$15.47 ₡7,067

35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,100

$2.36 ₡1,077

2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,301

$2.61 ₡1,194

9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡438

$0.98 ₡448

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.9K

$24.97 ₡11.4K

162.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡822

$1.79 ₡818

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡845

$1.77 ₡808

4.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,550

$7.75 ₡3,540

0.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₡585

$1.40 ₡638

-8.57%

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

$32.4K ₡14.8M

$37.1K ₡17.0M

-12.66%

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

$32.2K ₡14.7M

$32.7K ₡14.9M

-1.32%

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

$95.5 ₡43.6K

$93.0 ₡42.5K

2.60%

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

$26.09 ₡11.9K

$25.56 ₡11.7K

2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 ₡21.7K

$53.5 ₡24.4K

-11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.4K

$56.0 ₡25.6K

3.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 ₡10.8K

$23.68 ₡10.8K

-0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,651

$9.74 ₡4,452

4.52%

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

$442 ₡202.1K

$525 ₡239.8K

-15.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$12.7K ₡5.8M

-17.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₡23.1K

$62.7 ₡28.7K

-19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 ₡23.5K

$51.1 ₡23.4K

0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₡33.0K

$127 ₡58.1K

-43.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ₡32.1K

$106 ₡48.6K

-33.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡352.0K

$763 ₡348.8K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡334.8K

$598 ₡273.0K

22.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 ₡685.6K

$1,526 ₡697.1K

-1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ₡589.4K

$975 ₡445.3K

32.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

$1,977 ₡903.5K

256.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡563.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡409.9K

$1,506 ₡688.0K

-40.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Last update for Acosta: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Nosara and $763 in Acosta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acosta pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Nosara vs $51.0 in Acosta. Groceries flip the comparison at $323 vs $353, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nosara vs Acosta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Acosta differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,712 vs $1,601 including rent). Acosta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Acosta earns 68% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $770 in Nosara versus $763 in Acosta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Nosara pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Acosta – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,601 in Acosta versus $1,712 in Nosara, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Acosta but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Acosta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Acosta 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 Acosta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.