Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bakkafjordur

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakkafjordur: $250 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 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

$1,839

/mo nomad

Bakkafjordur

🇮🇸 Iceland

$250

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bakkafjordur

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $250 in Bakkafjordur, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Bakkafjordur $250

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $427 in Bakkafjordur, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Bakkafjordur $427

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $604 in Bakkafjordur, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Bakkafjordur $604

Nosara costs about 635% more than Bakkafjordur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Bakkafjordur is 81% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

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

$1.74 ₡780

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$2.26 ISK 275

33.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.17 ISK 263

15.67%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$4.88 ISK 591

-26.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$8.91 ISK 1,081

-16.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$11.17 ISK 1,355

-5.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$11.19 ISK 1,357

24.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.22 ISK 269

5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.25 ISK 273

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.22 ISK 269

116.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$2.19 ISK 265

-26.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.18 ISK 264

74.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.24 ISK 272

64.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.02 ISK 124

10.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.97 ISK 238

35.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$5,928 ISK 719.0K

-85.43%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Bakkafjordur: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Bakkafjordur

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Bakkafjordur

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Bakkafjordur

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Bakkafjordur

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Bakkafjordur

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bakkafjordur

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Bakkafjordur

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 586% higher in Bakkafjordur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇮🇸 Bakkafjordur

🕒 Local time

22:17 10:17 PM

04:17 4:17 AM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

100

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Bakkafjordur 8,140 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Bakkafjordur

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 Bakkafjordur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 635% more than Bakkafjordur, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 $375 in Bakkafjordur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $250 in Bakkafjordur. That's a gap of about 635%.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Bakkafjordur, where all-in costs run around $250, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Bakkafjordur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakkafjordur costs $250 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 Bakkafjordur. 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.