Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Duncan BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,112 in Duncan BC, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Duncan BC
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Duncan BC Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Duncan BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,112

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Duncan 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 Duncan BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,112 in Duncan BC.

Nosara $1,839
Duncan BC $2,112

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,371 in Duncan BC.

Nosara $2,828
Duncan BC $3,371

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $4,630 in Duncan BC.

Nosara $3,818
Duncan BC $4,630

Living in Nosara costs roughly 13% less than in Duncan BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Duncan BC 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$17.26 CA$24.40

-28.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$69.2 CA$97.8

-11.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$10.57 CA$14.95

-28.86%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$4.06 CA$5.73

8.62%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.13 CA$3.01

-18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.67 CA$2.36

-21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$5.40 CA$7.63

-39.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$5.52 CA$7.80

-19.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.56 CA$2.20

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$2.60 CA$3.68

16.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$4.35 CA$6.15

-42.30%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$4.04 CA$5.71

-11.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$11.99 CA$16.95

-38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$13.34 CA$18.85

-21.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$14.24 CA$20.13

-1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$4.02 CA$5.69

-41.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.31 CA$1.85

22.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$3.77 CA$5.33

27.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$3.90 CA$5.52

-58.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.71 CA$3.83

40.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.81 CA$3.97

31.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.54 CA$3.58

-55.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.57 CA$2.22

69.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$13.78 CA$19.49

-62.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$11.71 CA$16.56

69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.64 CA$3.73

9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.96 CA$4.19

22.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.98 CA$2.80

-43.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$58.7 CA$83.0

23.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.70 CA$3.82

-20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.58 CA$2.24

-0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$30.64 CA$43.32

-72.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.25 CA$1.76

21.60%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$25.4K CA$35.9K

-14.99%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$19.7K CA$27.8K

75.31%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$82.6 CA$117

16.55%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$36.70 CA$51.9

-2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$50.9 CA$72.0

5.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$59.4 CA$84.0

20.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$12.41 CA$17.54

-36.42%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$1,032 CA$1,459

-52.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$9,936 CA$14.0K

19.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$56.5 CA$79.8

-4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$32.64 CA$46.14

69.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$93.9 CA$133

-17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$94.3 CA$133

-15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$1,214 CA$1,716

-35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$1,015 CA$1,435

-21.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,261 CA$3,196

74.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$2,080 CA$2,940

-31.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$4,345 CA$6,142

59.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$3,513 CA$4,967

-65.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$3,075 CA$4,347

-71.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.28

101.40%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Duncan BC

$1K 48.1% 27.8% $221

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Duncan BC

$368 17.4% 4.6% $16

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Duncan BC

$272 12.9% 28.3% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Duncan BC

$170 8.1% 8.3% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Duncan BC

$125 5.9% 3.9% $4.7

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Duncan BC

$84 4% 3.6% $3.2

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Duncan BC

$77 3.7% 11.3% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $1,214 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 256% 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: $61.0 in Nosara vs $69.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $368 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇦 Duncan BC

🕒 Local time

13:50 1:50 PM

12:50 12:50 PM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

22,199

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Duncan BC 5,570 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Duncan 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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 256% lower in Duncan BC. 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: $788 in Nosara versus $1,214 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Duncan BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $69.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,112 in Duncan BC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Duncan BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Duncan BC 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 Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.