Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Castro

For one person, living is cheaper in Castro: $875 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Castro
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Castro Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Castro

🇨🇱 Chile

$875

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Castro

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $875 in Castro, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Castro $875

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,381 in Castro, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Castro $1,381

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,887 in Castro, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Castro $1,887

Nosara costs about 110% more than Castro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$8.29 CLP 8,163

48.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$46.10 CLP 45.4K

32.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.66 CLP 5,568

32.86%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$1.49 CLP 1,464

195.97%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.20 CLP 1,181

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.01 CLP 990

29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$5.15 CLP 5,066

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$7.29 CLP 7,173

-38.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.08 CLP 1,065

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.51 CLP 3,451

-13.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.25 CLP 1,232

100.80%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$4.12 CLP 4,056

-13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$9.67 CLP 9,523

-23.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$4.03 CLP 3,965

161.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$8.49 CLP 8,358

64.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.40 CLP 1,373

67.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.30 CLP 2,268

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.48 CLP 1,461

224.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.98 CLP 1,947

-18.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.13 CLP 1,109

236.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.52 CLP 1,494

-25.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.56 CLP 1,531

70.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.75 CLP 3,688

38.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$7.78 CLP 7,662

155.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.00 CLP 987

190.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.13 CLP 3,085

15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.66 CLP 654

69.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.30 CLP 1,282

16.92%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$15.5K CLP 15.2M

39.78%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$18.2K CLP 17.9M

89.44%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$131 CLP 128.8K

-26.42%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$31.25 CLP 30.8K

71.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$81.0 CLP 79.7K

-3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$355 CLP 349.2K

122.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$290 CLP 285.5K

173.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,002 CLP 986.6K

293.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$576 CLP 566.8K

146.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$614 CLP 604.7K

40.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

23.14%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Castro: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Castro

$290 33.2% 63.5% $504

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Castro

$234 * 26.7% 33.7% $119

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Castro

$150 17.2% 29.1% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Castro

$162 * 18.5% 12.7% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Castro

$36 * 4.2% 69.7% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Castro

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Castro

$2.7 * 0.3% 96.9% $84

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $355 in Castro. 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 41% 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 $46.00 in Castro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $234 – making Castro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇱 Castro

🕒 Local time

21:21 9:21 PM

00:21 12:21 AM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

33,417

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, 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).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Castro 5,960 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Castro

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 Castro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 110% more than Castro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,313 in Castro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $875 in Castro. That's a gap of about 110%.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $875, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $875 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Castro. 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.