Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bandar Seri Begawan

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan: $1,193 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 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
57

Cost of Living Index in Bandar Seri Begawan
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Bandar Seri Begawan Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Bandar Seri Begawan

🇧🇳 Brunei

$1,193

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bandar Seri Begawan

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 Bandar Seri Begawan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,193 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Bandar Seri Begawan $1,193

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,725 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Bandar Seri Begawan $1,725

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $2,257 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Bandar Seri Begawan $2,257

Nosara costs about 54% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Bandar Seri Begawan is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$3.84 BND 4.91

218.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$27.17 BND 34.78

121.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$6.13 BND 7.84

23.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 BND 2.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 BND 2.96

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$3.88 BND 4.97

11.08%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.95 BND 1.22

81.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.53 BND 0.68

154.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.84 BND 2.36

-14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$1.70 BND 2.18

86.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$1.24 BND 1.58

95.16%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$2.01 BND 2.58

77.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$9.26 BND 11.85

-19.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$4.39 BND 5.63

137.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$10.63 BND 13.61

28.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$3.19 BND 4.09

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$2.18 BND 2.79

-26.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.86 BND 3.66

65.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$2.59 BND 3.31

-35.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$1.75 BND 2.24

112.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.08 BND 2.67

71.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$3.61 BND 4.62

-69.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.93 BND 1.19

174.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.07 BND 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 BND 4.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$15.45 BND 19.78

-67.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.82 BND 1.05

45.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$0.82 BND 1.05

8689.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$3.82 BND 4.89

-41.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$3.42 BND 4.38

-54.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$11.89 BND 15.22

-25.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.39 BND 0.50

302.56%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$43.7K BND 56.0K

-50.16%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$36.2K BND 46.3K

-4.26%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$60.7 BND 77.7

54.08%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$21.58 BND 27.63

62.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$65.4 BND 83.8

-21.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$45.10 BND 57.7

58.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$6.96 BND 8.91

409.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$5.34 BND 6.84

46.82%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$214 BND 273

129.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$9,857 BND 12.6K

20.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$75.2 BND 96.3

-28.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$92.5 BND 118

-39.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$104 BND 133

-23.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$73.3 BND 93.8

7.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$734 BND 939

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$469 BND 601

66.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$1,125 BND 1,440

243.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$692 BND 885

103.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$3,106 BND 3,977

124.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$2,298 BND 2,942

-47.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$1,755 BND 2,247

-50.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

3.88

122.16%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Bandar Seri Begawan

$469 40% 39.8% $310

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Bandar Seri Begawan

$218 18.6% 37.5% $131

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Bandar Seri Begawan

$102 8.7% 51.5% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Bandar Seri Begawan

$148 12.6% 18% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Bandar Seri Begawan

$155 13.2% 28.8% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bandar Seri Begawan

$56 4.8% 35.9% $31

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bandar Seri Begawan

$25 2.1% 71.2% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $734 in Bandar Seri Begawan. 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 100% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $218 – making Bandar Seri Begawan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇳 Bandar Seri Begawan

🕒 Local time

05:55 5:55 AM

19:55 7:55 PM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

50,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Brunei Dollar BND $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 BND = 0.781 USD

1 BND = 0.697 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BND, 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 = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Brunei Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 BND (1 BND = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.43 BND (1 BND = 0.697 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Bandar Seri Begawan 17,200 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Bandar Seri Begawan

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 Bandar Seri Begawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 54%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,789 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $1,193 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That's a gap of about 54%.

Public transport costs about 8689% less in Bandar Seri Begawan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bandar Seri Begawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bandar Seri Begawan. 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.