Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Barnstable, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,367 in Barnstable, MA, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 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
115

Cost of Living Index in Barnstable, MA
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Barnstable, MA Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Barnstable, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,367

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Barnstable, MA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,367 in Barnstable, MA.

Nosara $1,837
Barnstable, MA $2,367

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $3,555 in Barnstable, MA.

Nosara $2,775
Barnstable, MA $3,555

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $4,743 in Barnstable, MA.

Nosara $3,712
Barnstable, MA $4,743

Living in Nosara costs roughly 22% less than in Barnstable, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Barnstable, MA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$18.12 $18.12

-32.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$74.4 $74.4

-19.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$9.84 $9.84

-23.37%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$3.92 $3.92

9.95%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$2.18 $2.18

-21.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$1.74 $1.74

-22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$5.15 $5.15

-37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$6.63 $6.63

-32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.05 $1.05

49.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$2.94 $2.94

7.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$4.20 $4.20

-42.38%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$4.18 $4.18

-14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$6.44 $6.44

15.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$9.05 $9.05

15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$8.57 $8.57

59.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$4.28 $4.28

-45.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.71 $1.71

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$4.36 $4.36

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$3.43 $3.43

-51.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$2.13 $2.13

74.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.22 $2.22

60.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$2.01 $2.01

-45.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$2.54 $2.54

0.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$12.28 $12.28

-59.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$13.09 $13.09

52.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.15 $2.15

29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$3.90 $3.90

-9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$1.97 $1.97

-39.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$34.39 $34.39

109.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$3.59 $3.59

-37.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$3.76 $3.76

-58.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$25.84 $25.84

-65.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.08 $1.08

45.37%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$37.3K $37.3K

-41.48%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$23.9K $23.9K

45.11%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$101 $101

-7.69%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$59.1 $59.1

-40.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$64.1 $64.1

-19.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$41.72 $41.72

71.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$24.22 $24.22

46.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$14.05 $14.05

-44.20%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$1,829 $1,829

-73.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$30.5K $30.5K

-61.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$57.2 $57.2

-6.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$38.12 $38.12

46.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$79.2 $79.2

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$102 $102

-22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$1,599 $1,599

-50.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$1,294 $1,294

-39.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$2,461 $2,461

56.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$2,151 $2,151

-34.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$2,770 $2,770

151.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$2,390 $2,390

-49.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$4,660 $4,660

-81.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.64

29.82%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Barnstable, MA

$1.3K 54.4% 66% $515

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Barnstable, MA

$324 13.6% 7.3% $25

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Barnstable, MA

$276 11.6% 31.8% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Barnstable, MA

$224 9.4% 24.7% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Barnstable, MA

$124 5.2% 3.2% $3.9

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Barnstable, MA

$70 2.9% 19.8% $17

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Barnstable, MA

$65 2.7% 25.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Nosara and $1,599 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnstable, MA pays 432% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Nosara vs $74.0 in Barnstable, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $324, with Barnstable, MA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Barnstable, MA

🕒 Local time

02:26 2:26 AM

04:26 4:26 AM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

44,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Barnstable, MA 3,830 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Barnstable, MA

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 Barnstable, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Barnstable, MA differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,837 vs $2,367 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 432% lower in Barnstable, MA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $786 in Nosara versus $1,599 in Barnstable, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 110% less than in Barnstable, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $1,829 in Barnstable, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,367 in Barnstable, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Barnstable, MA. 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 Barnstable, MA 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 29% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.