Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Amarante

For one person, living is cheaper in Amarante: $1,492 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. The total is higher in Nosara despite lower rent and utilities.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Amarante
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,492
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Amarante

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 Amarante actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,492 in Amarante.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Amarante $1,492

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $2,025 in Amarante.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Amarante $2,025

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $2,558 in Amarante.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Amarante $2,558

Living in Nosara is roughly 23% more expensive than in Amarante, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Amarante 11% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$6.29 €5.60
96.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$22.17 €19.72
175.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$6.38 €5.68
17.87%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$0.82 €0.73
437.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$1.52 €1.36
14.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.49 €1.33
-12.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$1.27 €1.13
158.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$1.42 €1.26
214.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.12 €0.99
39.29%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$0.68 €0.61
344.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$1.26 €1.12
99.21%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$2.99 €2.66
19.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$13.11 €11.66
-43.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$2.51 €2.23
319.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$2.96 €2.63
371.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$1.57 €1.40
49.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.47 €1.31
9.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$1.84 €1.64
160.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$2.53 €2.25
-36.36%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.76 €1.57
115.91%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$2.12 €1.88
74.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.26 €1.12
-10.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.09 €0.97
144.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$6.83 €6.07
-24.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$4.54 €4.04
337.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$1.35 €1.20
114.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$3.32 €2.95
9.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$2.10 €1.87
-46.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$41.35 €36.78
75.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$1.19 €1.05
79.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.24 €1.10
26.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$21.12 €18.79
-59.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.14 €1.90
-28.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$13.3K €11.8K
62.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$26.4K €23.5K
30.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$102 €91.0
-5.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$17.59 €15.65
104.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$43.43 €38.63
23.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$37.68 €33.51
89.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$15.97 €14.20
118.60%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$8.70 €7.74
-9.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$454 €404
8.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$6,252 €5,561
89.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$66.4 €59.1
-18.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$33.69 €29.97
64.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$68.3 €60.7
14.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$77.0 €68.5
3.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$903 €803
-12.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$823 €732
-3.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$1,347 €1,198
192.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$1,156 €1,029
22.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$2,919 €2,596
136.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$2,452 €2,181
-50.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Amarante
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$1,005 €894
-14.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.7
132.97%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Amarante: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Amarante
$823 3.6% $29
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Amarante
$183 48.2% $170
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Amarante
$101 52.5% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Amarante
$163 12.1% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Amarante
$110 8.1% $9.7
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Amarante
$55 37% $32
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Amarante
$57 34.4% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $903 in Amarante. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amarante pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $22.00 in Amarante for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $183 per month, with Amarante cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇵🇹 Amarante
🕒 Local time
18:26 6:26 PM
01:26 1:26 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
52,119
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Amarante 8,240 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Amarante

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 Amarante: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Amarante?
Nosara and Amarante differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $1,492 including rent). Amarante is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Amarante. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Amarante?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $903 in Amarante. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Amarante?
Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $454 in Amarante. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,492 in Amarante versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Amarante but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Amarante the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Amarante?
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.
Is Nosara or Amarante safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Amarante are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Nosara or Amarante?
Expats usually find Amarante gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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