Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bethesda, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,165 in Bethesda, MD, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 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
154

Cost of Living Index in Bethesda, MD
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Bethesda, MD Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Bethesda, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,165

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bethesda, MD

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $3,165 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Bethesda, MD $3,165

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $4,971 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Bethesda, MD $4,971

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $6,778 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Bethesda, MD $6,778

Nosara is about 42% cheaper than Bethesda, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Bethesda, MD sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Bethesda, MD by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$22.08 $22.08

-44.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$98.9 $98.9

-38.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$10.91 $10.91

-31.07%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.38 $5.38

-18.03%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$3.04 $3.04

-42.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$2.48 $2.48

-47.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$7.08 $7.08

-53.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$9.12 $9.12

-50.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.16 $1.16

34.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$4.14 $4.14

-27.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.90 $3.90

-35.64%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$4.67 $4.67

-23.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$16.60 $16.60

-55.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$15.51 $15.51

-32.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$22.46 $22.46

-37.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$5.45 $5.45

-56.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.36 $1.36

18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$4.05 $4.05

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$4.26 $4.26

-62.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.22 $2.22

71.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.65 $2.65

39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.39 $2.39

-52.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$2.53 $2.53

5.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$10.53 $10.53

-50.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$18.01 $18.01

10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.71 $1.71

69.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.83 $2.83

28.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$3.06 $3.06

-63.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$101 $101

-28.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$4.11 $4.11

-47.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.21 $1.21

29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$24.70 $24.70

-65.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.93 $0.93

63.44%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$23.1K $23.1K

-6.54%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$24.2K $24.2K

42.53%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$163 $163

-40.98%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$39.56 $39.56

-9.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$62.6 $62.6

-14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$104 $104

-31.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$30.41 $30.41

14.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$16.16 $16.16

-51.18%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$1,606 $1,606

-69.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$35.8K $35.8K

-66.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$54.8 $54.8

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$57.3 $57.3

-3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$102 $102

-23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$149 $149

-46.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$2,340 $2,340

-66.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$1,669 $1,669

-52.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$4,118 $4,118

-4.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$3,299 $3,299

-56.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$5,862 $5,862

17.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$5,456 $5,456

-77.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$8,749 $8,749

-90.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.79

26.95%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Bethesda, MD

$1.7K 52.7% 110% $875

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Bethesda, MD

$457 14.4% 29.7% $105

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Bethesda, MD

$350 11.1% 65.1% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Bethesda, MD

$265 8.4% 42.8% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Bethesda, MD

$163 5.2% 36% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bethesda, MD

$137 4.3% 56.4% $49

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Bethesda, MD

$124 3.9% 42% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $2,340 in Bethesda, MD. 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 913% higher in Bethesda, MD, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $99.0 in Bethesda, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $457 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

18:28 6:28 PM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

60,858

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Bethesda, MD 3,330 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Bethesda, MD

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 Bethesda, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bethesda, MD is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $4,747 in Bethesda, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $99.0 in Bethesda, MD. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $3,165 in Bethesda, MD. That's a gap of about 72%.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Bethesda, MD at $3,165. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethesda, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethesda, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.