Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Fakenham

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,362 in Fakenham, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Fakenham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,362
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Fakenham

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,362 in Fakenham.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Fakenham $2,362

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,423 in Fakenham.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Fakenham $3,423

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $4,484 in Fakenham.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Fakenham $4,484

Living in Nosara costs roughly 22% less than in Fakenham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Fakenham 75% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$21.76 £16.32
-43.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$67.2 £50.4
-8.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$9.29 £6.97
-19.05%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$4.77 £3.58
-7.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$2.29 £1.72
-24.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.36 £1.02
-3.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$6.44 £4.83
-49.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$5.19 £3.90
-13.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.65 £1.24
-5.45%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.52 £1.14
98.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.16 £1.62
16.20%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$4.06 £3.05
-12.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$9.62 £7.22
-22.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$8.82 £6.62
19.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$14.70 £11.03
-4.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$2.80 £2.10
-16.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.53 £1.15
5.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.60 £1.95
84.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$3.58 £2.68
-55.03%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.55 £1.17
145.16%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.50 £1.12
146.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.17 £0.88
-3.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.51 £1.14
76.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$20.28 £15.21
-74.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$11.04 £8.28
80.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$2.48 £1.86
16.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$3.19 £2.40
13.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$3.52 £2.64
-68.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$96.9 £72.7
-25.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$4.97 £3.73
-56.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$3.89 £2.92
-59.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$25.37 £19.03
-66.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.07 £1.55
-26.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$38.7K £29.0K
-44.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$40.8K £30.6K
-15.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$317 £238
-69.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$16.14 £12.11
122.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$42.77 £32.08
25.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$46.27 £34.71
54.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$12.08 £9.06
-34.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$1,250 £938
-60.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$26.2K £19.6K
-54.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$81.4 £61.0
-33.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$42.18 £31.65
31.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$107 £79.9
-26.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$108 £80.7
-25.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$1,202 £902
-34.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$1,015 £762
-21.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$2,070 £1,553
90.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$1,670 £1,253
-15.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$4,994 £3,747
38.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$3,824 £2,869
-67.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Fakenham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.33
61.73%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Fakenham: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Fakenham
$1K 27.8% $221
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Fakenham
$297 15.8% $56
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Fakenham
$316 49.4% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Fakenham
$376 102% $190
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Fakenham
$152 26.5% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Fakenham
$70 19.4% $17
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Fakenham
$135 55.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $1,202 in Fakenham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $67.0 in Fakenham. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $297, with Fakenham cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇧 Fakenham
🕒 Local time
22:24 10:24 PM
05:24 5:24 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
7,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Fakenham 8,890 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Fakenham

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 Fakenham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nosara or Fakenham?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Fakenham. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nosara and in Fakenham?
You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $3,543 in Fakenham to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Nosara compared to Fakenham?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $1,202 in Fakenham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Nosara and in Fakenham?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $67.0 in Fakenham. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Nosara compared to Fakenham?
All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $2,362 in Fakenham – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Nosara or in Fakenham?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,362 in Fakenham, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Fakenham. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nosara or Fakenham?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Nosara compared to Fakenham?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Fakenham are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Fakenham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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