Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Coamo

For one person, living is cheaper in Coamo: $1,704 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Coamo
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,704
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Coamo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,704 in Coamo.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Coamo $1,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $2,673 in Coamo.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Coamo $2,673

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $3,643 in Coamo.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Coamo $3,643

Living in Nosara is roughly 8% more expensive than in Coamo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Coamo 26% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$16.88 $16.88
-26.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$81.8 $81.8
-25.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$8.78 $8.78
-14.35%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$3.68 $3.68
19.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$1.89 $1.89
-7.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.46 $1.46
-10.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$2.97 $2.97
10.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$5.12 $5.12
-12.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$2.12 $2.12
-26.42%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$2.03 $2.03
48.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$0.98 $0.98
156.12%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$4.92 $4.92
-27.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$12.49 $12.49
-40.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$9.53 $9.53
10.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$13.42 $13.42
4.10%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$5.09 $5.09
-53.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$2.53 $2.53
-36.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$4.84 $4.84
-0.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$4.85 $4.85
-66.80%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$3.69 $3.69
2.98%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$3.85 $3.85
-4.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$2.96 $2.96
-61.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.63 $1.63
63.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$11.87 $11.87
-56.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$15.43 $15.43
28.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$1.45 $1.45
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$2.05 $2.05
77.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$2.45 $2.45
-12.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.51 $1.51
3.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$41.84 $41.84
-79.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$0.99 $0.99
53.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$39.9K $39.9K
-45.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$28.0K $28.0K
23.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$325 $325
-70.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$67.8 $67.8
-47.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$70.3 $70.3
-23.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$7.12 $7.12
10.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$822 $822
-39.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$12.5K $12.5K
-4.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$56.2 $56.2
-4.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$61.5 $61.5
-9.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$110 $110
-29.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$113 $113
-29.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$638 $638
23.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$452 $452
75.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$1,470 $1,470
167.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$954 $954
48.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Coamo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$2,771 $2,771
-68.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.55
31.60%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Coamo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Coamo
$452 43.2% $343
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Coamo
$367 4.2% $15
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Coamo
$244 15.2% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Coamo
$464 150% $278
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Coamo
$153 27.6% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Coamo
$14 * 83.7% $73
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Coamo
$10 * 88.5% $77

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $638 in Coamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coamo pays 221% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $82.0 in Coamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $367 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇵🇷 Coamo
🕒 Local time
15:49 3:49 PM
17:49 5:49 PM
2 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
40,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Coamo 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Coamo

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 Coamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Coamo?
Nosara and Coamo differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $1,704 including rent). Coamo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 221% lower in Coamo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Coamo?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $638 in Coamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Coamo?
Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $822 in Coamo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Coamo – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,704 in Coamo versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Coamo but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Coamo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Coamo?
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 Coamo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Coamo 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 Coamo?
Expats usually find Coamo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Nosara vs other spots: cost of living compared

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