Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Alcorcón

For one person, living is cheaper in Alcorcón: $1,684 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
82

Cost of Living Index in Alcorcón
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Alcorcón Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Alcorcón

🇪🇸 Spain

$1,684

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Alcorcón

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nosara and in Alcorcón actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,684 in Alcorcón.

Nosara $1,839
Alcorcón $1,684

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $2,470 in Alcorcón.

Nosara $2,828
Alcorcón $2,470

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $3,256 in Alcorcón.

Nosara $3,818
Alcorcón $3,256

Living in Nosara is roughly 9% more expensive than in Alcorcón, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Alcorcón 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$16.50 €14.68

-25.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$56.8 €50.6

7.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$11.31 €10.06

-33.51%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.04 €1.82

116.18%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.81 €2.50

-38.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$2.06 €1.83

-36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.99 €3.55

-17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$3.84 €3.41

16.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.36 €1.21

14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.59 €1.41

89.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.54 €1.37

62.99%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.79 €2.48

27.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$16.53 €14.70

-55.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$9.46 €8.42

11.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$17.35 €15.43

-19.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.63 €2.34

-10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.43 €2.16

-33.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.54 €2.26

88.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$2.97 €2.64

-45.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.00 €1.78

90.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.24 €2.00

64.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.51 €1.35

-25.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.69 €0.61

285.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$6.30 €5.61

-17.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$8.04 €7.15

147.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$0.98 €0.87

195.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.25 €2.00

61.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.61 €1.43

-30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$31.65 €28.16

129.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.40 €2.13

-10.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.07 €0.95

46.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$29.45 €26.20

-71.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.75 €1.55

-13.14%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$34.9K €31.1K

-38.11%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$28.6K €25.4K

20.90%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$163 €145

-40.76%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$11.41 €10.15

214.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$34.81 €30.96

53.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$45.27 €40.27

58.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$17.72 €15.77

97.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$8.88 €7.90

-11.15%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$493 €439

0.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$8,030 €7,142

47.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$87.9 €78.2

-38.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$39.45 €35.09

40.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$98.1 €87.3

-20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$113 €100

-29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$897 €798

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$678 €603

17.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,241 €1,104

217.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$986 €877

43.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$3,224 €2,867

114.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,133 €1,897

-42.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

3.14

174.52%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Alcorcón: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Alcorcón

$678 40.3% 14.6% $116

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Alcorcón

$299 17.7% 15.2% $54

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Alcorcón

$238 14.1% 12.1% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Alcorcón

$209 12.4% 12.4% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Alcorcón

$152 9% 26.6% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Alcorcón

$63 3.7% 27.9% $24

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Alcorcón

$46 2.7% 47.4% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $897 in Alcorcón. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $57.0 in Alcorcón for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $299 per month, with Alcorcón cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇪🇸 Alcorcón

🕒 Local time

09:53 9:53 AM

17:53 5:53 PM

8 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

171,772

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Alcorcón 8,600 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Alcorcón

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

Nosara vs Alcorcón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alcorcón is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and leisure. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $2,526 in Alcorcón to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $897 in Alcorcón. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $1,684 in Alcorcón – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alcorcón runs roughly 130% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,684 in Alcorcón versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Alcorcón but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Alcorcón the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alcorcón is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Alcorcón 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 Alcorcón gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.