Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Liberia Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Liberia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,712 in Nosara versus $1,133 in Liberia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,637 in Nosara versus $1,884 in Liberia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,562 in Nosara versus $2,636 in Liberia.

Living in Nosara is roughly 51% more expensive than Liberia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 28% above, Liberia is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡5,046

$9.98 ₡4,559

10.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$34.77 ₡15.9K

73.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ₡3,240

$10.02 ₡4,578

-29.24%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,777

$3.28 ₡1,499

18.60%

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

$1.57 ₡719

$1.81 ₡827

-13.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₡533

$1.51 ₡689

-22.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₡1,345

$2.48 ₡1,132

18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,150

$4.71 ₡2,151

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡671

$2.05 ₡937

-28.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ₡1,286

$2.85 ₡1,301

-1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,026

$2.16 ₡988

4.17%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,345

$3.03 ₡1,385

-2.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 ₡3,099

$6.95 ₡3,177

-2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 ₡4,126

$7.34 ₡3,354

23.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,223

$11.21 ₡5,120

21.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₡935

$4.57 ₡2,089

-55.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡668

$1.37 ₡627

6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,908

$2.31 ₡1,056

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₡691

$2.85 ₡1,302

-47.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,573

$3.51 ₡1,602

-1.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,457

$2.30 ₡1,051

38.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡437

$0.96 ₡438

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,104

$1.96 ₡894

23.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ₡2,107

$4.47 ₡2,042

3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 ₡9,601

$15.64 ₡7,144

34.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,100

$2.14 ₡979

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,301

$2.84 ₡1,297

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡438

$0.94 ₡430

2.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.9K

$50.3 ₡23.0K

30.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡822

$1.85 ₡845

-2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡845

$1.85 ₡843

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,550

$8.11 ₡3,706

-4.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₡585

$1.39 ₡634

-7.91%

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

$32.4K ₡14.8M

$37.4K ₡17.1M

-13.26%

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

$32.2K ₡14.7M

$32.5K ₡14.9M

-0.86%

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

$95.5 ₡43.6K

$92.2 ₡42.1K

3.56%

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

$26.09 ₡11.9K

$25.76 ₡11.8K

1.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 ₡21.7K

$35.78 ₡16.3K

32.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.4K

$44.44 ₡20.3K

30.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 ₡10.8K

$31.27 ₡14.3K

-24.66%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,651

$8.21 ₡3,750

24.00%

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

$442 ₡202.1K

$567 ₡259.1K

-22.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$12.7K ₡5.8M

-17.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₡23.1K

$59.6 ₡27.2K

-15.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 ₡23.5K

$34.61 ₡15.8K

48.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₡33.0K

$124 ₡56.6K

-41.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ₡32.1K

$81.5 ₡37.2K

-13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡352.0K

$303 ₡138.5K

154.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡334.8K

$242 ₡110.4K

203.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 ₡685.6K

$830 ₡379.3K

80.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ₡589.4K

$668 ₡305.2K

93.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡563.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡409.9K

$892 ₡407.4K

0.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Last update for Liberia: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Nosara and $303 in Liberia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 1% 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: $60.0 in Nosara vs $35.00 in Liberia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $306 per month, with Liberia cheaper across the board.

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 Liberia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Liberia wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Liberia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Nosara pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $770 in Nosara versus $303 in Liberia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Liberia – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,712 per month in Nosara versus $1,133 in Liberia – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,133 in Liberia versus $1,712 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Liberia but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Liberia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Liberia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,133 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Liberia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Liberia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Liberia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.