Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bethlehem

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethlehem: $1,603 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Bethlehem
🇵🇸 Palestine
$1,603
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bethlehem

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,603 in Bethlehem, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Bethlehem $1,603

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,491 in Bethlehem, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Bethlehem $2,491

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,378 in Bethlehem, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Bethlehem $3,378

Nosara costs about 15% more than Bethlehem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nosara and Bethlehem sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Bethlehem by 19%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$11.24 ₪34.98
9.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$49.54 ₪154
23.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$14.10 ₪43.86
-46.67%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$4.63 ₪14.42
-4.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$1.29 ₪4.00
34.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.02 ₪3.16
28.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$6.04 ₪18.80
-45.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$8.23 ₪25.60
-45.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.98 ₪6.17
-21.21%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$0.90 ₪2.81
235.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.29 ₪7.14
9.61%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$2.62 ₪8.15
36.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$10.46 ₪32.53
-28.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$9.61 ₪29.91
9.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$20.63 ₪64.2
-32.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$3.84 ₪11.96
-38.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$2.09 ₪6.51
-22.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$1.65 ₪5.15
190.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$2.49 ₪7.76
-35.34%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.42 ₪4.43
167.61%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.65 ₪5.13
123.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.62 ₪5.04
-30.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.02 ₪3.18
160.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$10.15 ₪31.58
-48.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$14.37 ₪44.72
38.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$2.33 ₪7.25
24.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$2.32 ₪7.21
56.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$2.46 ₪7.64
-54.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$145 ₪453
-50.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$3.27 ₪10.16
-34.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$3.24 ₪10.07
-51.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$3.22 ₪10.02
164.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.38 ₪7.42
-36.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$40.3K ₪125.5K
-46.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$48.5K ₪150.9K
-28.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$196 ₪609
-50.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$39.23 ₪122
-8.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$32.64 ₪102
64.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$65.1 ₪203
9.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$33.04 ₪103
5.66%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$7.97 ₪24.81
-1.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$99.0 ₪308
399.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$9,882 ₪30.7K
20.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$48.66 ₪151
10.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$98.9 ₪308
-43.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$116 ₪360
-32.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$165 ₪512
-51.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$493 ₪1,534
59.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$332 ₪1,032
139.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$878 ₪2,732
348.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$645 ₪2,007
119.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$1,595 ₪4,962
333.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$1,155 ₪3,595
5.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Bethlehem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$1,320 ₪4,106
-34.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
10
-13.80%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bethlehem: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Bethlehem
$332 58.2% $463
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Bethlehem
$312 11.4% $40
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Bethlehem
$244 15.1% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Bethlehem
$268 44.1% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Bethlehem
$192 60.3% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Bethlehem
$81 7.2% $6.3
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Bethlehem
$175 101% $88

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $493 in Bethlehem. 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 53% higher in Bethlehem, 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $50.0 in Bethlehem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $312 – making Bethlehem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇵🇸 Bethlehem
🕒 Local time
15:21 3:21 PM
00:21 12:21 AM
9 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
29,019
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Bethlehem 12,210 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Bethlehem

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 Bethlehem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bethlehem cheaper than Nosara?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,405 in Bethlehem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bethlehem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nosara and in Bethlehem?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $1,603 in Bethlehem. That's a gap of about 15%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 100% less in Bethlehem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Bethlehem?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bethlehem, where all-in costs run around $1,603, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Bethlehem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nosara or Bethlehem more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bethlehem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Bethlehem?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bethlehem. 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.

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