Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in David

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $882 in David, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
David $882

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $946 in David, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
David $946

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,011 in David, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
David $1,011

Nosara costs about 108% more than David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while David is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$5.52 PAB 5.52

123.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$37.03 PAB 37.03

65.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$7.27 PAB 7.27

3.44%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.13 PAB 3.13

40.89%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.47 PAB 1.47

18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.52 PAB 1.52

-13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.99 PAB 1.99

64.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.72 PAB 2.72

64.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.73 PAB 1.73

-9.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$2.26 PAB 2.26

33.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.46 PAB 2.46

2.03%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.41 PAB 2.41

48.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.99 PAB 1.99

-43.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$10.18 PAB 10.18

95.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.76 PAB 0.76

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.96 PAB 2.96

-27.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$2.04 PAB 2.04

-23.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.07 PAB 1.07

42.06%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

-13.43%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

12.98%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$184 PAB 184

-47.57%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$28.48 PAB 28.48

26.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$49.40 PAB 49.40

8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$31.21 PAB 31.21

129.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$6,091 PAB 6,091

94.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$343 PAB 343

129.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$354 PAB 354

124.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$604 PAB 604

42.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

23.14%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

David

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

David

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $343 in David. 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 43% higher in Nosara, 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 $37.00 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $88.0 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

04:58 4:58 AM

05:58 5:58 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

82,907

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Nosara David 390 km

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Nosara
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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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 108%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,323 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 301% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $37.00 in David. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Nosara at $1,839. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward David – 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 David. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.