Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ascona

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,528 in Ascona, rent and utilities included – about $20,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
170

Cost of Living Index in Ascona
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Ascona Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Ascona

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,528

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ascona

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $3,528 in Ascona.

Nosara $1,835
Ascona $3,528

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $5,347 in Ascona.

Nosara $2,825
Ascona $5,347

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $7,166 in Ascona.

Nosara $3,814
Ascona $7,166

Living in Nosara costs roughly 48% less than in Ascona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 35% above, Ascona 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,554

$24.67 CHF 20.42

-49.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.6K

$118 CHF 98.0

-48.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,494

$21.67 CHF 17.93

-64.19%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,999

$6.77 CHF 5.60

-34.42%

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

$1.79 ₡806

$3.03 CHF 2.51

-40.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡582

$6.14 CHF 5.08

-78.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,456

$9.36 CHF 7.74

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,992

$3.67 CHF 3.04

20.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡698

$2.24 CHF 1.86

-30.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,385

$4.00 CHF 3.31

-23.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,137

$4.25 CHF 3.51

-40.47%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,551

$7.84 CHF 6.48

-55.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,296

$27.21 CHF 22.52

-73.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,610

$30.50 CHF 25.24

-66.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,348

$42.01 CHF 34.77

-66.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,030

$3.71 CHF 3.07

-38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡740

$1.92 CHF 1.59

-14.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,156

$2.82 CHF 2.33

69.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡738

$5.36 CHF 4.44

-69.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,733

$2.00 CHF 1.66

92.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,687

$2.12 CHF 1.75

76.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡489

$2.38 CHF 1.97

-54.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,164

$1.33 CHF 1.10

94.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,303

$10.90 CHF 9.02

-53.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,963

$17.92 CHF 14.83

11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,260

$2.92 CHF 2.42

-4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,585

$3.98 CHF 3.29

-11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡551

$4.28 CHF 3.54

-71.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.3K

$101 CHF 83.5

-26.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡977

$8.68 CHF 7.18

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡700

$5.83 CHF 4.83

-73.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,900

$36.09 CHF 29.87

-75.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡700

$2.24 CHF 1.85

-30.80%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$42.3K CHF 35.0K

-18.39%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$39.7K CHF 32.9K

-2.38%

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

$94.8 ₡42.7K

$273 CHF 226

-65.25%

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

$36.15 ₡16.3K

$38.22 CHF 31.63

-5.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.9K

$61.6 CHF 51.0

-13.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.2K

$88.4 CHF 73.2

-16.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$46.11 CHF 38.16

-22.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,560

$23.40 CHF 19.37

-66.20%

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

$490 ₡220.6K

$4,239 CHF 3,508

-88.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$35.2K CHF 29.1K

-66.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.7K

$165 CHF 137

-66.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.2K

$68.7 CHF 56.9

-18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.2K

$150 CHF 125

-46.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$272 CHF 225

-71.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡360.4K

$1,744 CHF 1,444

-54.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡355.3K

$1,502 CHF 1,243

-47.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$2,963 CHF 2,452

35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡634.2K

$2,517 CHF 2,083

-44.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$16.4K CHF 13.6K

-56.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡556.2K

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

-89.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡399.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

1.9

353.68%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Ascona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Ascona

$1.5K 42.6% 90.2% $712

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Ascona

$633 18% 81.1% $284

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Ascona

$434 12.3% 104% $222

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Ascona

$373 10.6% 103% $189

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Ascona

$295 8.4% 144% $174

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Ascona

$135 3.8% 50.9% $46

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Ascona

$156 4.4% 75.7% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Nosara and $1,744 in Ascona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61 in Nosara vs $118 in Ascona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $633 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇭 Ascona

🕒 Local time

19:01 7:01 PM

02:01 2:01 AM

7 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

5,500

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.927 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Ascona 9,550 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Ascona

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 Ascona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Ascona differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($1,835 vs $3,528 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $2,753 in Nosara and $5,292 in Ascona 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: $801 in Nosara versus $1,744 in Ascona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 27% less than in Ascona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $4,239 in Ascona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,835 in Nosara versus $3,528 in Ascona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Ascona. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara 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 Ascona 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 48% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.