Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Carmarthen

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,326 in Carmarthen, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Carmarthen
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,326
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Carmarthen

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,326 in Carmarthen.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Carmarthen $2,326

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,066 in Carmarthen.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Carmarthen $3,066

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $3,806 in Carmarthen.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Carmarthen $3,806

Living in Nosara costs roughly 21% less than in Carmarthen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Carmarthen 72% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$20.88 £15.66
-40.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$65.2 £48.93
-6.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$9.20 £6.90
-18.26%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$3.56 £2.67
23.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$2.45 £1.84
-28.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.67 £1.26
-21.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$5.41 £4.06
-39.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$4.61 £3.45
-3.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.50 £1.12
4.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.19 £0.89
153.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$1.99 £1.49
26.13%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$4.37 £3.28
-18.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$8.13 £6.10
-8.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$9.36 £7.02
12.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$12.99 £9.75
7.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$3.06 £2.30
-23.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.79 £1.34
-10.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.58 £1.93
86.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$4.19 £3.14
-61.58%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$2.04 £1.53
86.27%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.50 £1.12
146.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.25 £0.94
-9.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.98 £1.49
34.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$23.59 £17.70
-78.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$10.63 £7.97
87.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$2.74 £2.06
5.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$3.61 £2.71
0.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$4.50 £3.38
-75.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$97.2 £72.9
-25.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$3.35 £2.51
-36.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.60 £1.20
-1.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$26.36 £19.78
-67.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$1.85 £1.39
-17.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$38.7K £29.0K
-44.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$39.7K £29.8K
-13.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$316 £237
-69.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$16.79 £12.60
113.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$38.88 £29.17
37.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$46.38 £34.80
54.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$13.66 £10.25
-42.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$2,223 £1,668
-77.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$24.8K £18.6K
-52.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$98.6 £74.0
-45.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$48.36 £36.28
14.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$108 £81.3
-28.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$98.0 £73.6
-18.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$1,200 £900
-34.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$1,004 £753
-20.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$1,272 £954
209.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$1,047 £785
35.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$5,108 £3,832
35.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$3,890 £2,918
-68.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Carmarthen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$1,998 £1,499
-56.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
4.87
77.00%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Carmarthen: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Carmarthen
$1K 26.4% $210
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Carmarthen
$300 14.9% $52
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Carmarthen
$290 36.9% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Carmarthen
$372 100% $186
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Carmarthen
$159 32.4% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Carmarthen
$74 15.6% $14
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Carmarthen
$127 45.3% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $1,200 in Carmarthen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carmarthen pays 131% 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 $65.0 in Carmarthen. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $300, with Carmarthen cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇧 Carmarthen
🕒 Local time
13:50 1:50 PM
20:50 8:50 PM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
14,185
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 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 Carmarthen 8,540 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Carmarthen

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 Carmarthen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carmarthen cheaper than Nosara?
Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Nosara or Carmarthen?
On paper, salaries run 131% lower in Carmarthen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Nosara and Carmarthen?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $1,200 in Carmarthen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Nosara and in Carmarthen?
Shoppers in Carmarthen pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Nosara or in Carmarthen?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $65.0 in Carmarthen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Carmarthen?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,326 in Carmarthen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Carmarthen. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nosara or Carmarthen more family-friendly?
For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Carmarthen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Carmarthen?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Carmarthen 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 26% less than in Carmarthen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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