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: $1,703 in Nosara versus $1,125 in Liberia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,623 in Nosara versus $1,897 in Liberia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,543 in Nosara versus $2,670 in Liberia.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 27% above, Liberia is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₡4,840

$9.65 ₡4,306

12.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 ₡27.0K

$34.89 ₡15.6K

73.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 ₡3,183

$10.20 ₡4,549

-30.00%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₡1,692

$3.18 ₡1,420

19.18%

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

$1.57 ₡698

$1.85 ₡827

-15.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₡544

$1.53 ₡683

-20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 ₡1,358

$2.50 ₡1,117

21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 ₡2,132

$4.79 ₡2,137

-0.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ₡661

$1.98 ₡881

-25.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 ₡1,288

$2.79 ₡1,245

3.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡984

$2.06 ₡918

7.28%

Eggs

$3.00 ₡1,339

$3.04 ₡1,354

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 ₡3,004

$7.31 ₡3,261

-7.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 ₡4,012

$7.39 ₡3,295

21.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.52 ₡6,031

$11.33 ₡5,055

19.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ₡943

$4.55 ₡2,031

-53.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ₡633

$1.38 ₡614

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ₡1,909

$2.27 ₡1,012

88.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ₡677

$2.83 ₡1,263

-46.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ₡1,502

$3.42 ₡1,525

-1.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 ₡1,372

$2.28 ₡1,016

35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡451

$1.03 ₡460

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₡1,061

$2.04 ₡909

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ₡2,068

$4.50 ₡2,008

3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.02 ₡9,378

$15.33 ₡6,838

37.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,092

$2.15 ₡961

13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,291

$2.92 ₡1,304

-1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡435

$0.95 ₡422

3.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 ₡30.4K

$50.1 ₡22.4K

35.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ₡795

$1.81 ₡809

-1.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡802

$1.83 ₡817

-1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₡3,436

$8.09 ₡3,610

-4.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₡584

$1.45 ₡647

-9.66%

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

$32.6K ₡14.5M

$37.1K ₡16.5M

-12.16%

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

$32.4K ₡14.5M

$32.9K ₡14.7M

-1.50%

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

$94.4 ₡42.1K

$93.2 ₡41.6K

1.30%

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

$25.89 ₡11.5K

$26.24 ₡11.7K

-1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.27 ₡21.1K

$36.80 ₡16.4K

28.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡25.6K

$44.48 ₡19.8K

28.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.50 ₡10.5K

$31.42 ₡14.0K

-25.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.68 ₡4,320

$8.34 ₡3,720

16.07%

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

$446 ₡199.0K

$560 ₡249.8K

-20.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₡4.8M

$12.7K ₡5.7M

-14.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 ₡22.2K

$58.8 ₡26.2K

-15.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 ₡23.2K

$34.53 ₡15.4K

50.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ₡31.6K

$128 ₡56.9K

-44.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 ₡31.3K

$83.3 ₡37.2K

-15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₡344.6K

$298 ₡133.0K

158.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 ₡328.0K

$236 ₡105.5K

210.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ₡671.7K

$839 ₡374.3K

79.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 ₡591.0K

$677 ₡302.1K

95.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,053 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 ₡542.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$878 ₡391.5K

$881 ₡393.2K

-0.44%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Liberia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $772 in Nosara and $298 in Liberia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Liberia pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Liberia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $772 in Nosara versus $298 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 $1,703 per month in Nosara versus $1,125 in Liberia – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,125 in Liberia versus $1,703 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 $1,125 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.