Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bakau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $322 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$322

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bakau

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $322 in Bakau, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Bakau $322

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $724 in Bakau, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Bakau $724

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,125 in Bakau, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Bakau $1,125

Nosara costs about 471% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Bakau is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$5.42 GMD 390

125.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$75.9 GMD 5,461

-20.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$7.99 GMD 575

-5.63%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$3.87 GMD 278

11.37%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$2.26 GMD 163

-23.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$1.14 GMD 82.3

18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$3.60 GMD 260

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$3.53 GMD 254

26.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$2.50 GMD 180

-37.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$5.36 GMD 386

-33.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$16.13 GMD 1,161

-35.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$13.41 GMD 966

49.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.01 GMD 144

38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$2.74 GMD 197

28.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$67.8 GMD 4,880

1976.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bakau: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Bakau

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Bakau

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Bakau

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Bakau

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Bakau

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bakau

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bakau

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $76.0 in Bakau. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $169 in Bakau – so Bakau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇲 Bakau

🕒 Local time

20:48 8:48 PM

02:48 2:48 AM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

43,098

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 GMD = 1.39 USD

100 GMD = 1.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 72 GMD (100 GMD = 1.39 USD). 1 EUR = 80.75 GMD (100 GMD = 1.24 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Bakau 7,500 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Bakau

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 Bakau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 471% more than Bakau, 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 $2,756 per month in Nosara and $483 in Bakau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $322 in Bakau. That's a gap of about 471%.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bakau, where all-in costs run around $322, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Bakau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakau costs $322 versus $1,837 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 Bakau. 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.