Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Castel

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,406 in Castel, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Castel outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Castel

🇬🇬 Guernsey

$2,406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Castel

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $2,406 in Castel, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Castel $2,406

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $3,787 in Castel, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Castel $3,787

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $5,167 in Castel, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Castel $5,167

Nosara is about 24% cheaper than Castel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Castel sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Castel by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$39.85 GGP 30.16

-69.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$80.5 GGP 60.9

-25.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$5.05 GGP 3.82

-14.65%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$3.23 GGP 2.45

-46.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$3.93 GGP 2.98

-65.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$4.32 GGP 3.27

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$6.53 GGP 4.94

-31.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.95 GGP 1.47

-19.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$2.18 GGP 1.65

-27.98%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$26.18 GGP 19.82

34.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$67.3 GGP 50.9

-23.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$1,986 GGP 1,503

-60.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$1,844 GGP 1,396

-57.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$4,012 GGP 3,037

-3.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$3,740 GGP 2,831

-62.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Castel: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Castel

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Castel

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Castel

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Castel

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Castel

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Castel

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Castel

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $1,986 in Castel. 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $80.0 in Castel. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $19.00 in Castel – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇬 Castel

🕒 Local time

02:19 2:19 AM

09:19 9:19 AM

7 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

8,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Guernsey Pound GGP £

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 GGP = 1.32 USD

1 GGP = 1.18 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 GGP (1 GGP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.849 GGP (1 GGP = 1.18 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Castel 8,670 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Castel

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 Castel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Castel is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $3,609 in Castel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1697% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $80.0 in Castel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Castel at $2,406. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.