Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Barrigada

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,886 in Barrigada, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barrigada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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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

Barrigada

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,886

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Barrigada

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,886 in Barrigada.

Nosara $1,837
Barrigada $2,886

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $3,657 in Barrigada.

Nosara $2,775
Barrigada $3,657

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $4,428 in Barrigada.

Nosara $3,712
Barrigada $4,428

Living in Nosara costs roughly 36% less than in Barrigada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Barrigada 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$98.7 $98.7

-38.98%

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

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

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

$6.89 $6.89

-28.16%

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

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

$1.42 $1.42

10.56%

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

$414 $414

-77.40%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$98.9 $98.9

-64.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$80.6 $80.6

-36.12%

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

$730 $730

-32.94%

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

$2,463 $2,463

-68.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$2,241 $2,241

-65.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$3,340 $3,340

15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$3,235 $3,235

-56.50%

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

$4,895 $4,895

-82.10%

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 Barrigada: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Barrigada

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Barrigada

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Barrigada

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Barrigada

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Barrigada

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Barrigada

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Barrigada

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Nosara and $2,463 in Barrigada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 459% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $60.0 in Nosara vs $99.0 in Barrigada for two.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇺 Barrigada

🕒 Local time

04:25 4:25 AM

20:25 8:25 PM

16 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

8,875

💱 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 = 505 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 →

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Between locations

Nosara Barrigada 13,860 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Barrigada

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 Barrigada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in utilities. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 459% lower in Barrigada. 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 $2,463 in Barrigada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $99.0 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $730 in Barrigada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,886 in Barrigada, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barrigada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Barrigada 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 57% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.