Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Comox, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,381 in Comox, BC, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Comox, BC
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Comox, BC Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Comox, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Comox, BC

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $2,381 in Comox, BC, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Comox, BC $2,381

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $3,415 in Comox, BC, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Comox, BC $3,415

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $4,448 in Comox, BC, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Comox, BC $4,448

Nosara is about 23% cheaper than Comox, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Comox, BC sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Comox, BC by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,547

$17.78 CA$25.28

-30.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$56.8 CA$80.7

7.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,377

$10.24 CA$14.56

-26.56%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,981

$3.64 CA$5.18

21.15%

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

$1.74 ₡781

$2.07 CA$2.95

-15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡588

$1.56 CA$2.22

-16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,473

$5.55 CA$7.89

-40.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,007

$5.87 CA$8.34

-23.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$2.40 CA$3.42

-35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,357

$2.03 CA$2.88

48.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

$3.59 CA$5.10

-30.08%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,605

$3.22 CA$4.58

10.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,338

$8.57 CA$12.19

-13.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,724

$8.34 CA$11.86

26.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,274

$17.72 CA$25.20

-21.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

$3.21 CA$4.56

-26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$1.27 CA$1.80

26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,155

$2.90 CA$4.13

65.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

$3.08 CA$4.37

-47.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

$2.50 CA$3.55

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,659

$2.07 CA$2.95

78.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.97 CA$2.79

-42.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

$1.71 CA$2.44

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,324

$13.89 CA$19.75

-62.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,929

$14.17 CA$20.15

40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,302

$2.52 CA$3.59

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,628

$3.09 CA$4.39

17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡505

$3.47 CA$4.93

-67.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$39.84 CA$56.7

82.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡959

$2.68 CA$3.81

-20.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡704

$1.49 CA$2.12

5.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,828

$26.73 CA$38.01

-68.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

$1.33 CA$1.89

14.29%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$27.6K CA$39.2K

-21.63%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$18.6K CA$26.4K

85.67%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$182 CA$258

-46.97%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$37.28 CA$53.0

-3.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$63.3 CA$90.0

-15.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$57.5 CA$81.7

24.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$27.85 CA$39.60

25.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,544

$12.46 CA$17.72

-36.68%

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

$494 ₡221.9K

$1,384 CA$1,968

-64.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$11.7K CA$16.6K

1.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$54.0 CA$76.8

-0.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$61.3 CA$87.1

-9.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$96.0 CA$136

-18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$87.9 CA$125

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.9K

$1,333 CA$1,896

-40.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.7K

$1,217 CA$1,731

-34.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,026 CA$2,881

94.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.4K

$1,919 CA$2,728

-26.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$3,247 CA$4,617

112.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.8K

$3,145 CA$4,471

-61.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.8K

$3,013 CA$4,283

-71.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.87

77.00%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Comox, BC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Comox, BC

$1.2K 51.1% 53.3% $423

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Comox, BC

$330 13.9% 6.3% $22

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Comox, BC

$271 11.4% 27.8% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Comox, BC

$282 11.9% 51.9% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Comox, BC

$135 5.7% 12.1% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Comox, BC

$82 3.5% 5.7% $5

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Comox, BC

$64 2.7% 26.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $1,333 in Comox, BC. 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 249% higher in Comox, BC, 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 $57.0 in Comox, BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $330 – making Comox, BC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇦 Comox, BC

🕒 Local time

17:37 5:37 PM

16:37 4:37 PM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

14,028

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Comox, BC 5,700 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Comox, BC

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 Comox, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Comox, BC is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $3,572 in Comox, BC. 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 7% cheaper in Comox, BC – 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 $61.0 in Nosara and $57.0 in Comox, BC. 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 $1,839, than in Comox, BC at $2,381. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Comox, BC 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, Comox, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.