Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Buckingham

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,219 in Buckingham, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Buckingham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,219
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Buckingham

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,219 in Buckingham.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Buckingham $2,219

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,265 in Buckingham.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Buckingham $3,265

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $4,311 in Buckingham.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Buckingham $4,311

Living in Nosara costs roughly 17% less than in Buckingham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Buckingham 64% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$20.03 £15.03
-38.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$78.9 £59.2
-22.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$10.44 £7.83
-27.97%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$4.60 £3.45
-4.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$2.05 £1.54
-15.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.50 £1.12
-12.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$5.45 £4.09
-39.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$4.52 £3.39
-1.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.51 £1.13
3.31%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.77 £1.33
70.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.82 £2.11
-10.99%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$4.04 £3.03
-11.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$9.09 £6.82
-18.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$7.72 £5.79
36.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$16.42 £12.32
-14.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$3.29 £2.47
-28.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.54 £1.16
4.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.80 £2.10
71.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$3.20 £2.40
-49.69%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.16 £0.87
227.59%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.73 £1.30
113.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.29 £0.97
-12.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.35 £1.01
97.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$23.66 £17.75
-78.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$10.10 £7.57
96.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$3.14 £2.36
-7.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$2.28 £1.71
59.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$3.38 £2.53
-66.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$94.7 £71.1
-23.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$4.18 £3.14
-48.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$2.69 £2.02
-41.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$32.36 £24.28
-73.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.04 £1.53
-25.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$38.4K £28.8K
-43.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$41.3K £31.0K
-16.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$200 £150
-51.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$17.46 £13.10
105.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$43.68 £32.77
22.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$45.77 £34.34
56.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$13.38 £10.04
-41.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$1,464 £1,099
-66.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$22.0K £16.5K
-46.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$84.3 £63.2
-36.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$31.33 £23.50
76.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$73.7 £55.3
5.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$97.2 £72.9
-18.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$1,462 £1,097
-46.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$1,036 £777
-23.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$2,105 £1,579
87.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$1,659 £1,244
-14.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$5,081 £3,812
36.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$3,819 £2,865
-67.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Buckingham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$4,447 £3,336
-80.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.06
70.36%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Buckingham: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Buckingham
$1K 30.4% $242
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Buckingham
$297 15.7% $55
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Buckingham
$297 40.3% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Buckingham
$261 40.6% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Buckingham
$129 7.3% $8.8
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Buckingham
$73 17% $15
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Buckingham
$126 44.5% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $1,462 in Buckingham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buckingham pays 415% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $79.0 in Buckingham. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $297, with Buckingham cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇧 Buckingham
🕒 Local time
01:35 1:35 AM
08:35 8:35 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
12,890
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Buckingham 8,770 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Buckingham

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 Buckingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Buckingham?
Nosara and Buckingham differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $2,219 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 415% lower in Buckingham. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Buckingham?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $1,462 in Buckingham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Nosara or Buckingham?
All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $2,219 in Buckingham – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Buckingham?
A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 30% less than in Buckingham. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,219 in Buckingham, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Buckingham. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Buckingham?
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.
Is Nosara or Buckingham safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Buckingham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Nosara or Buckingham?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Buckingham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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