Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Armstrong

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,303 in Armstrong, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Armstrong
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Armstrong Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Armstrong

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,303

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Armstrong

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,303 in Armstrong.

Nosara $1,839
Armstrong $2,303

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,345 in Armstrong.

Nosara $2,828
Armstrong $3,345

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $4,386 in Armstrong.

Nosara $3,818
Armstrong $4,386

Living in Nosara costs roughly 20% less than in Armstrong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Armstrong 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,547

$20.75 CA$29.51

-40.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$73.3 CA$104

-16.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,377

$10.68 CA$15.18

-29.59%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,981

$3.57 CA$5.08

23.53%

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

$1.74 ₡781

$2.56 CA$3.65

-32.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡588

$1.70 CA$2.42

-22.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,473

$5.96 CA$8.48

-44.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,007

$6.17 CA$8.78

-27.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$2.29 CA$3.25

-31.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,357

$2.43 CA$3.45

24.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

$3.12 CA$4.44

-19.55%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,605

$3.70 CA$5.26

-3.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,338

$9.69 CA$13.77

-23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,724

$10.34 CA$14.71

1.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,274

$16.95 CA$24.10

-17.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

$3.72 CA$5.29

-36.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$1.38 CA$1.96

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,155

$4.04 CA$5.75

18.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

$4.07 CA$5.79

-60.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

$2.54 CA$3.61

49.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,659

$2.22 CA$3.16

66.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.45 CA$3.49

-53.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

$1.42 CA$2.02

87.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,324

$12.98 CA$18.45

-60.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,929

$12.37 CA$17.59

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,302

$3.25 CA$4.62

-10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,628

$3.81 CA$5.42

-4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡505

$2.22 CA$3.15

-49.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$64.6 CA$91.8

12.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡959

$2.13 CA$3.03

0.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡704

$1.88 CA$2.67

-16.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,828

$12.11 CA$17.22

-29.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

$1.23 CA$1.75

23.58%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$24.6K CA$35.0K

-12.15%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$18.4K CA$26.2K

87.10%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$130 CA$185

-25.99%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$27.75 CA$39.46

29.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$55.7 CA$79.1

-3.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$37.89 CA$53.9

88.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$15.43 CA$21.94

126.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,544

$10.00 CA$14.21

-21.10%

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

$494 ₡221.9K

$138 CA$197

256.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$3,902 CA$5,548

203.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$58.0 CA$82.4

-6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$38.00 CA$54.0

45.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$80.7 CA$115

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$75.1 CA$107

6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.9K

$1,058 CA$1,505

-25.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.7K

$1,176 CA$1,673

-32.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,808 CA$2,570

117.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.4K

$1,793 CA$2,550

-20.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$3,559 CA$5,060

94.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.8K

$3,697 CA$5,257

-66.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.58

88.21%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Armstrong

$1.2K 51.1% 48.1% $382

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Armstrong

$357 15.5% 1.3% $4.6

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Armstrong

$300 13% 41.7% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Armstrong

$214 9.3% 14.9% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Armstrong

$113 4.9% 5.7% $6.8

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Armstrong

$58 2.5% 33.8% $29

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Armstrong

$85 3.7% 2.5% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $1,058 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $73.0 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $357 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇦 Armstrong

🕒 Local time

16:22 4:22 PM

18:22 6:22 PM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Armstrong 4,490 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Armstrong

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 Armstrong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and eating out. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $3,455 in Armstrong 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 $1,058 in Armstrong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 12% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $138 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,303 in Armstrong, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Armstrong. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Nosara and Armstrong 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 Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.