Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Brufut

For one person, living is cheaper in Brufut: $55.5 a month against $1,839 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

$1,839

/mo nomad

Brufut

🇬🇲 Gambia

$55.5

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Brufut

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $55.5 in Brufut, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Brufut $55.5

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $91.6 in Brufut, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Brufut $91.6

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $128 in Brufut, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Brufut $128

Nosara costs about 3215% more than Brufut, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Brufut is 96% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$2.35 GMD 174

425.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

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

$1.74 ₡780

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.60 GMD 118

-2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.66 GMD 48.91

357.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$0.71 GMD 52.7

253.52%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.05 GMD 77.5

261.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.00 GMD 73.7

269.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.29 GMD 21.39

817.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.33 GMD 98.2

172.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.99 GMD 73.6

53.54%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

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: October 11, 2026

Last update for Brufut: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Brufut

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Brufut

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Brufut

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Brufut

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Brufut

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Brufut

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Brufut

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇲 Brufut

🕒 Local time

12:00 12:00 PM

18:00 6:00 PM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

27,664

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

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

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 74 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 83.2 GMD (100 GMD = 1.2 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Brufut 7,490 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Brufut

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 Brufut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 3215% more than Brufut, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $83.2 in Brufut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $55.5 in Brufut. That's a gap of about 3215%.

Groceries cost about 860% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Brufut, where all-in costs run around $55.5, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Brufut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brufut costs $55.5 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Brufut. 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.