Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Brikama

For one person, living is cheaper in Brikama: $64.8 a month against $1,844 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$1,844

/mo nomad

Brikama

🇬🇲 Gambia

$64.8

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Brikama

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,844 in Nosara versus $65 in Brikama.

Nosara $1,844
Brikama $65

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,817 in Nosara versus $108 in Brikama.

Nosara $2,817
Brikama $108

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,790 in Nosara versus $151 in Brikama.

Nosara $3,790
Brikama $151

Living in Nosara is roughly 2745% more expensive than in Brikama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Brikama is 95% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,568

$6.25 GMD 463

98.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 ₡27.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 ₡3,513

Cappuccino

$4.37 ₡1,966

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

$1.78 ₡800

$0.65 GMD 48.52

173.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡605

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₡1,526

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₡1,939

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,425

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,130

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$2.37 GMD 176

48.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 ₡3,313

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 ₡4,703

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 ₡6,255

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ₡1,018

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡701

Oranges (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,113

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₡729

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 ₡1,746

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,704

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₡481

$0.32 GMD 24.06

234.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,174

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.16 ₡2,319

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 ₡9,143

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,310

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ₡1,651

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡588

$0.36 GMD 26.33

263.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ₡32.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₡984

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡829

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 ₡3,513

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

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

$33.4K ₡15.0M

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

$38.1K ₡17.1M

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

$95.9 ₡43.1K

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

$35.37 ₡15.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 ₡24.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 ₡30.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.43 ₡15.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ₡3,473

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

$496 ₡222.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 ₡24.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 ₡24.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 ₡35.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡35.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₡367.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₡359.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,889 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 ₡627.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,977 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 ₡549.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$879 ₡395.3K

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: November 3, 2026

Last update for Brikama: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$800 43.4%

Brikama

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$353 19.1%

Brikama

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Brikama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$185 10%

Brikama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Brikama

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Brikama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$83 4.5%

Brikama

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇲 Brikama

🕒 Local time

01:41 1:41 AM

07:41 7:41 AM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

97,233

💱 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 = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.2 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 November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 74.15 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 83.28 GMD (100 GMD = 1.2 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Nosara Brikama 7,500 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Brikama

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 Brikama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brikama is about 96% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,765 in Nosara and $97 in Brikama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3170% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $1,844 per month in Nosara versus $65 in Brikama – Brikama is about 96% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $65 in Brikama versus $1,844 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brikama but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Brikama 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.