Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ambato

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $605 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
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Ambato Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ambato

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $605 in Ambato, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Ambato $605

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $985 in Ambato, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Ambato $985

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,364 in Ambato, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Ambato $1,364

Nosara costs about 204% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Ambato is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,550

$3.46 $3.46

256.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$29.93 $29.93

104.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,379

$5.32 $5.32

41.35%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,982

$2.76 $2.76

59.78%

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

$1.74 ₡781

$0.82 $0.82

112.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡588

$0.75 $0.75

74.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,474

$1.96 $1.96

67.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,008

$3.22 $3.22

38.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$0.98 $0.98

59.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,358

$0.98 $0.98

208.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

$1.57 $1.57

59.87%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,606

$1.73 $1.73

106.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,340

$5.42 $5.42

37.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,727

$3.05 $3.05

244.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,277

$3.93 $3.93

255.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

$1.27 $1.27

85.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$0.88 $0.88

82.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,156

$1.03 $1.03

366.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

$1.03 $1.03

56.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

$0.77 $0.77

393.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,660

$0.99 $0.99

272.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡508

$0.73 $0.73

54.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

$1.03 $1.03

158.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,326

$5.15 $5.15

0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,934

$8.78 $8.78

126.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,303

$1.45 $1.45

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,629

$2.81 $2.81

29.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡505

$0.29 $0.29

286.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$14.21 $14.21

411.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡960

$1.39 $1.39

53.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡705

$1.12 $1.12

40.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,830

$9.43 $9.43

-9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

$0.86 $0.86

76.74%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$23.3K $23.3K

-7.39%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$28.1K $28.1K

22.64%

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

$96.3 ₡43.3K

$39.20 $39.20

145.64%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$13.58 $13.58

164.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$26.39 $26.39

103.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.2K

$29.76 $29.76

140.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,546

$4.39 $4.39

79.73%

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

$494 ₡222.0K

$224 $224

120.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$2,408 $2,408

392.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$48.25 $48.25

11.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$35.22 $35.22

57.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$71.2 $71.2

9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$55.5 $55.5

43.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡354.1K

$178 $178

341.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.9K

$124 $124

539.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$380 $380

935.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.7K

$273 $273

420.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,130 $1,130

511.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡550.0K

$884 $884

38.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡388.0K

$679 $679

27.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-4.22%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ambato: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Ambato

$124 20.5% 84.4% $670

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Ambato

$147 24.3% 58.3% $205

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Ambato

$99 16.4% 53.2% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Ambato

$79 13.1% 57.4% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Ambato

$95 15.6% 21.3% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Ambato

$39 6.4% 55.9% $49

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Ambato

$22 3.7% 74.4% $65

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $178 in Ambato. 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 27% 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $30.00 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $147 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇪🇨 Ambato

🕒 Local time

11:51 11:51 AM

12:51 12:51 PM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

165,185

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Ambato 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Ambato

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 Ambato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 204% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $908 in Ambato. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ambato, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $30.00 in Ambato. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $605 in Ambato. That's a gap of about 204%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $605 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ambato. 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.