Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Broken Hill

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,528 in Broken Hill, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Broken Hill
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,528
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Broken Hill

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,528 in Broken Hill.

  • Nosara $1,837
  • Broken Hill $2,528

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $3,595 in Broken Hill.

  • Nosara $2,775
  • Broken Hill $3,595

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $4,662 in Broken Hill.

  • Nosara $3,712
  • Broken Hill $4,662

Living in Nosara costs roughly 27% less than in Broken Hill, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Broken Hill 89% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₡5,509
$19.24 A$27.63
-36.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.1K
$87.4 A$126
-31.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₡3,399
$10.70 A$15.37
-29.53%
Cappuccino
$4.31 ₡1,941
$4.39 A$6.30
-1.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡773
$2.84 A$4.08
-39.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₡608
$2.18 A$3.14
-38.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,459
$6.53 A$9.37
-50.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₡2,018
$8.79 A$12.62
-49.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡707
$1.42 A$2.04
10.56%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,429
$2.48 A$3.57
27.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
$2.33 A$3.34
3.86%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,609
$5.02 A$7.21
-28.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,349
$8.78 A$12.62
-15.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.42 ₡4,697
$8.33 A$11.97
25.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.66 ₡6,156
$15.89 A$22.83
-14.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 ₡1,044
$4.43 A$6.36
-47.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡728
$2.63 A$3.78
-38.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 ₡2,138
$3.65 A$5.24
29.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 ₡747
$4.95 A$7.10
-66.46%
Potato (1kg)
$3.72 ₡1,679
$2.37 A$3.41
56.96%
Onion (1kg)
$3.57 ₡1,611
$2.23 A$3.20
60.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₡497
$2.50 A$3.59
-56.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 ₡1,149
$1.75 A$2.51
45.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 ₡2,232
$43.62 A$62.7
-88.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.01 ₡9,020
$12.81 A$18.40
56.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₡1,256
$4.54 A$6.51
-38.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₡1,589
$4.72 A$6.79
-25.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₡537
$2.88 A$4.14
-58.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.1 ₡32.5K
$89.0 A$128
-19.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₡1,011
$3.17 A$4.55
-29.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 ₡701
$1.39 A$2.00
11.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₡3,993
$44.43 A$63.8
-80.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$1.34 A$1.92
17.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₡9.8M
$25.2K A$36.2K
-13.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
$29.3K A$42.1K
18.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.1K
$218 A$313
-57.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.11 ₡15.8K
$31.10 A$44.68
12.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 ₡23.2K
$50.2 A$72.1
2.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 ₡32.2K
$61.3 A$88.0
16.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.44 ₡16.0K
$19.54 A$28.07
81.37%
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 ₡3,535
$12.84 A$18.44
-38.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡220.7K
$2,450 A$3,519
-80.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.4M
$22.1K A$31.7K
-46.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₡24.1K
$81.2 A$117
-34.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.1K
$62.4 A$89.7
-10.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₡35.7K
$107 A$153
-25.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 ₡35.6K
$135 A$194
-41.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$786 ₡354.3K
$1,464 A$2,103
-46.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 ₡351.6K
$1,124 A$1,614
-30.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,860 ₡1.7M
$1,828 A$2,625
111.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 ₡634.4K
$1,954 A$2,807
-28.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,972 ₡3.1M
$5,374 A$7,720
29.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 ₡541.3K
$5,529 A$7,941
-78.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Broken Hill
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 ₡395.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.84
47.60%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Broken Hill: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$780
Broken Hill
$1.1K 44.1% $344
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Broken Hill
$362 3.5% $12
Eating Out
Nosara
$209
Broken Hill
$309 47.5% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$180
Broken Hill
$299 66.1% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Broken Hill
$173 44.1% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Broken Hill
$87 0.2% $0.1
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Broken Hill
$111 27.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Nosara and $1,464 in Broken Hill. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Nosara vs $87.0 in Broken Hill for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $362 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇦🇺 Broken Hill
🕒 Local time
01:12 1:12 AM
17:42 5:42 PM
16 h 30 min ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
17,456
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.696 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.621 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Broken Hill 14,600 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Broken Hill

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 Broken Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Broken Hill cheaper than Nosara?
Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,756 in Nosara and $3,792 in Broken Hill 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.
What is the rent difference between Nosara and Broken Hill?
Rent for a central apartment: $786 in Nosara versus $1,464 in Broken Hill. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $2,450 in Broken Hill. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Nosara and in Broken Hill?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Broken Hill. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Broken Hill?
At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,528 in Broken Hill, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Broken Hill. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nosara or Broken Hill more family-friendly?
For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Broken Hill, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Broken Hill?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Broken Hill are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Broken Hill. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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