Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,712 in Nosara versus $1,512 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,637 in Nosara versus $2,121 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,562 in Nosara versus $2,730 in Cartago.

Living in Nosara is roughly 13% more expensive than Cartago, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 28% above, Cartago 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡5,023

$7.95 ₡3,615

38.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.5K

$31.47 ₡14.3K

92.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ₡3,226

$9.17 ₡4,172

-22.68%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,769

$3.82 ₡1,738

1.83%

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

$1.57 ₡715

$1.93 ₡880

-18.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₡530

$1.23 ₡558

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₡1,338

$2.01 ₡913

46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,141

$4.75 ₡2,159

-0.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡668

$1.96 ₡894

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ₡1,280

$2.19 ₡996

28.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,021

$2.15 ₡976

4.65%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,339

$2.91 ₡1,325

1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 ₡3,085

$7.84 ₡3,566

-13.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 ₡4,108

$9.30 ₡4,228

-2.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,195

$13.63 ₡6,199

-0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₡930

$4.43 ₡2,014

-53.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡665

$1.17 ₡534

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,899

$4.03 ₡1,832

3.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₡688

$2.64 ₡1,201

-42.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,566

$1.96 ₡890

75.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,451

$1.98 ₡899

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡435

$1.04 ₡471

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,099

$1.94 ₡884

24.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ₡2,097

$5.11 ₡2,326

-9.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 ₡9,558

$15.30 ₡6,960

37.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,094

$2.45 ₡1,112

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,295

$1.80 ₡820

58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡436

$1.01 ₡461

-4.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.8K

$69.0 ₡31.4K

-5.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡818

$1.37 ₡622

31.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡841

$1.86 ₡848

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,533

$7.91 ₡3,599

-1.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₡582

$1.41 ₡643

-9.22%

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

$32.4K ₡14.7M

$37.4K ₡17.0M

-13.35%

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

$32.2K ₡14.7M

$32.3K ₡14.7M

-0.34%

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

$95.5 ₡43.4K

$49.02 ₡22.3K

94.74%

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

$26.09 ₡11.9K

$25.60 ₡11.6K

1.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 ₡21.6K

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-18.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.3K

$57.3 ₡26.0K

1.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 ₡10.7K

$24.06 ₡10.9K

-2.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,629

$6.47 ₡2,944

57.34%

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

$442 ₡201.2K

$491 ₡223.1K

-9.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$7,189 ₡3.3M

45.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₡23.0K

$61.5 ₡28.0K

-17.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 ₡23.4K

$51.7 ₡23.5K

-0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₡32.8K

$109 ₡49.4K

-33.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ₡32.0K

$80.4 ₡36.6K

-12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡350.4K

$760 ₡345.6K

1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡333.3K

$602 ₡273.6K

21.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 ₡682.4K

$734 ₡333.9K

104.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ₡586.7K

$770 ₡350.1K

67.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡561.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡408.1K

$1,312 ₡596.8K

-31.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

1.70%

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

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Nosara and $760 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Nosara vs $31.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $315 per month, with Cartago cheaper across the board.

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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 46% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $770 in Nosara versus $760 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 5% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $442 in Nosara versus $491 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,512 in Cartago versus $1,712 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cartago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Cartago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.