Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Calarasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Calarasi: $882 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Calarasi
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Calarasi Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Calarasi

🇷🇴 Romania

$882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Calarasi

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $882 in Calarasi, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Calarasi $882

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,363 in Calarasi, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Calarasi $1,363

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,844 in Calarasi, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Calarasi $1,844

Nosara costs about 108% more than Calarasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Calarasi is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$8.90 RON 42.12

38.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$33.15 RON 157

84.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$7.57 RON 35.83

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.07 RON 9.81

113.04%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.78 RON 8.42

-2.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.63 RON 7.70

-19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.59 RON 7.52

106.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$1.44 RON 6.79

210.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.45 RON 6.85

7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.90 RON 4.24

235.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.49 RON 7.06

68.46%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.80 RON 13.26

27.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$7.71 RON 36.46

-3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$4.17 RON 19.71

152.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$8.28 RON 39.16

68.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.07 RON 5.06

119.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.38 RON 6.55

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.22 RON 5.80

293.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.45 RON 6.84

11.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.40 RON 1.89

850.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.65 RON 3.06

467.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.43 RON 2.05

162.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.75 RON 3.55

254.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$6.31 RON 29.87

-17.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$4.11 RON 19.43

383.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$0.98 RON 4.64

195.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.42 RON 6.73

155.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.41 RON 1.92

173.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$12.57 RON 59.5

477.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$0.66 RON 3.13

224.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.62 RON 2.93

153.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$6.09 RON 28.82

39.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.62 RON 7.68

-6.17%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$28.2K RON 133.6K

-23.46%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$24.8K RON 117.5K

38.98%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$164 RON 778

-41.44%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$6.30 RON 29.82

469.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$6.51 RON 30.81

723.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$46.84 RON 222

52.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$51.8 RON 245

-32.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$8.23 RON 38.94

-4.13%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$404 RON 1,913

22.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$5,678 RON 26.9K

108.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$71.6 RON 339

-24.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$21.03 RON 99.5

163.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$91.2 RON 432

-14.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$97.0 RON 459

-17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$312 RON 1,476

152.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$190 RON 898

318.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$419 RON 1,981

840.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$325 RON 1,539

336.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,206 RON 5,706

473.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$949 RON 4,490

28.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$729 RON 3,449

18.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

7.85

9.81%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Calarasi

$190 21.5% 76.1% $604

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Calarasi

$164 18.6% 53.3% $188

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Calarasi

$143 16.2% 32.4% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Calarasi

$177 20.1% 4.6% $8.5

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Calarasi

$126 14.3% 5.2% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Calarasi

$63 7.2% 27.5% $24

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Calarasi

$18 2% 79.4% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $312 in Calarasi. 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 18% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $33.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $164 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇷🇴 Calarasi

🕒 Local time

20:32 8:32 PM

05:32 5:32 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

65,181

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Calarasi 11,000 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Calarasi

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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $882 in Calarasi – roughly 108% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,324 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $404 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $882 in Calarasi to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Calarasi. 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.