Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Caleta de Fuste

For one person, living is cheaper in Caleta de Fuste: $1,526 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Caleta de Fuste
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,526
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Caleta de Fuste

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 Caleta de Fuste actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $1,526 in Caleta de Fuste, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Caleta de Fuste $1,526

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $2,311 in Caleta de Fuste, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Caleta de Fuste $2,311

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $3,097 in Caleta de Fuste, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Caleta de Fuste $3,097

Nosara costs about 20% more than Caleta de Fuste, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Caleta de Fuste sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Caleta de Fuste by 13%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$13.56 €12.06
-9.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$74.2 €66.0
-17.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$10.81 €9.62
-28.21%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$2.47 €2.20
79.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$2.20 €1.96
-18.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$1.66 €1.48
-22.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$3.15 €2.80
2.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$3.68 €3.27
20.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$1.13 €1.01
37.17%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$1.44 €1.28
113.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$1.59 €1.41
59.12%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$3.72 €3.31
-7.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$11.95 €10.63
-38.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$9.70 €8.63
5.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$18.17 €16.16
-22.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$2.52 €2.24
-9.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$2.06 €1.84
-20.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$2.31 €2.05
107.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$1.73 €1.54
-5.20%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$1.83 €1.63
110.38%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$2.31 €2.06
62.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$1.95 €1.73
-44.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$0.88 €0.78
194.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$4.51 €4.01
13.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$6.82 €6.06
192.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$1.38 €1.23
102.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$2.60 €2.31
35.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.68 €1.49
-27.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
$35.36 €31.45
108.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$3.38 €3.01
-35.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$2.25 €2.01
-30.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$27.72 €24.65
-68.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.62 €1.44
-4.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$31.1K €27.7K
11.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$32.1K €28.6K
20.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$112 €99.9
-15.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$19.89 €17.69
81.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$28.02 €24.92
89.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$39.29 €34.95
87.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
$13.86 €12.33
157.07%
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$9.08 €8.07
-12.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$468 €416
4.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$6,510 €5,791
82.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$86.9 €77.3
-36.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$38.01 €33.81
47.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$92.7 €82.5
-13.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$121 €107
-35.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$943 €839
-15.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$607 €540
30.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$1,386 €1,233
188.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$870 €774
62.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$3,355 €2,985
110.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$2,242 €1,994
-44.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.15
173.65%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Caleta de Fuste: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Caleta de Fuste
$607 23.1% $183
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Caleta de Fuste
$283 19.1% $67
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Caleta de Fuste
$209 1.7% $3.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Caleta de Fuste
$160 13% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Caleta de Fuste
$152 25.7% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Caleta de Fuste
$57 35.9% $32
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Caleta de Fuste
$57 36.1% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $943 in Caleta de Fuste. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $74.0 in Caleta de Fuste. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $283 in Caleta de Fuste – so Caleta de Fuste wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇪🇸 Caleta de Fuste
🕒 Local time
19:30 7:30 PM
02:30 2:30 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
6,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Caleta de Fuste 7,710 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Caleta de Fuste

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 Caleta de Fuste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caleta de Fuste cheaper than Nosara?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $2,288 in Caleta de Fuste. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Caleta de Fuste, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 109% less in Caleta de Fuste. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $468 in Caleta de Fuste. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Caleta de Fuste?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Caleta de Fuste, where all-in costs run around $1,526, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Caleta de Fuste it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nosara or Caleta de Fuste more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Caleta de Fuste – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Caleta de Fuste?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Caleta de Fuste. 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.

Nosara vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?