Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Barra

For one person, living is cheaper in Barra: $105 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,800 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

Barra

🇬🇲 Gambia

$105

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Barra

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $105 in Barra, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Barra $105

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $178 in Barra, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Barra $178

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $251 in Barra, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Barra $251

Nosara costs about 1654% more than Barra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Barra is 92% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

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

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.94 GMD 68.5

237.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$2.50 GMD 182

42.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$6.95 GMD 507

49.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.99 GMD 145

-19.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.78 GMD 203

70.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$2.06 GMD 150

-19.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$1.11 GMD 81.2

235.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.78 GMD 56.7

357.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.45 GMD 32.67

466.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.06 GMD 77.4

163.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

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

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 Barra: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Barra

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Barra

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Barra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Barra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Barra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Barra

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Barra

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇲 Barra

🕒 Local time

04:25 4:25 AM

10:25 10:25 AM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

6,020

💱 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 = 1.37 USD

100 GMD = 1.22 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 = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 73 GMD (100 GMD = 1.37 USD). 1 EUR = 81.8 GMD (100 GMD = 1.22 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Barra 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Barra

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 Barra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 1654%, 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 $157 in Barra. 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 $105 in Barra. That's a gap of about 1654%.

Groceries cost about 239% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Barra, where all-in costs run around $105, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Barra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barra – 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 Barra. 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.