Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Clark Freeport

For one person, living is cheaper in Clark Freeport: $728 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Clark Freeport
🇵🇭 Philippines
$728
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Clark Freeport

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $728 in Clark Freeport.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Clark Freeport $728

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $1,107 in Clark Freeport.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Clark Freeport $1,107

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $1,485 in Clark Freeport.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Clark Freeport $1,485

Living in Nosara is roughly 152% more expensive than in Clark Freeport, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 35% above, Clark Freeport is 46% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$3.79 ₱239
225.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$16.54 ₱1,042
270.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$2.76 ₱174
181.16%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$2.27 ₱143
95.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$0.62 ₱39.17
188.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$0.31 ₱19.41
316.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$1.17 ₱73.7
176.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$1.90 ₱120
133.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$1.61 ₱101
-3.73%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$1.16 ₱72.8
165.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$0.91 ₱57.3
178.02%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$1.95 ₱123
76.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$5.42 ₱341
35.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$4.20 ₱264
143.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$7.08 ₱446
99.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$2.35 ₱148
-2.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.58 ₱99.7
3.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$2.43 ₱153
97.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$1.12 ₱70.3
46.43%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$1.95 ₱123
97.44%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$1.95 ₱123
92.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$0.92 ₱57.7
18.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$0.58 ₱36.79
346.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$3.02 ₱190
69.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$7.75 ₱488
157.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$0.96 ₱60.4
191.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$1.85 ₱117
90.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$0.20 ₱12.58
510.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
$10.93 ₱688
576.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$0.73 ₱46.09
197.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$0.23 ₱14.53
578.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$1.94 ₱122
346.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.24 ₱78.3
25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$21.6K ₱1.4M
59.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$19.2K ₱1.2M
102.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$124 ₱7,804
-23.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$14.89 ₱937
142.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$24.30 ₱1,530
118.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$31.96 ₱2,012
130.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
$4.77 ₱300
646.96%
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$5.27 ₱332
50.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$135 ₱8,486
263.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$7,924 ₱498.9K
50.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$33.07 ₱2,082
65.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$19.65 ₱1,237
184.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$71.5 ₱4,503
12.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$56.2 ₱3,536
38.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$266 ₱16.7K
201.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$170 ₱10.7K
364.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$508 ₱32.0K
688.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$351 ₱22.1K
301.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$2,385 ₱150.2K
196.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$991 ₱62.4K
24.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Clark Freeport
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
$313 ₱19.7K
182.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.79
26.95%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Clark Freeport: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Clark Freeport
$170 78.5% $619
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Clark Freeport
$179 48.9% $171
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Clark Freeport
$79 62.8% $133
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Clark Freeport
$163 11.4% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Clark Freeport
$81 32.9% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Clark Freeport
$43 52.6% $47
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Clark Freeport
$14 84.7% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Nosara and $266 in Clark Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 183% 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 $17.00 in Clark Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $179 per month, with Clark Freeport cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇵🇭 Clark Freeport
🕒 Local time
11:46 11:46 AM
01:46 1:46 AM
14 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Clark Freeport 16,000 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Clark Freeport

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 Clark Freeport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Clark Freeport?
Nosara and Clark Freeport differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($1,835 vs $728 including rent). Clark Freeport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Nosara or Clark Freeport?
Average pay runs 183% higher in Nosara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Clark Freeport?
Rent for a central apartment: $801 in Nosara versus $266 in Clark Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Clark Freeport – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Nosara or Clark Freeport?
All in, you'll spend $1,835 per month in Nosara versus $728 in Clark Freeport – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $728 in Clark Freeport versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Clark Freeport but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Clark Freeport the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Clark Freeport?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Nosara or Clark Freeport safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Clark Freeport are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Nosara or Clark Freeport?
Expats usually find Clark Freeport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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