Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Gan

For one person, living is cheaper in Gan: $44.72 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $21,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$1,837

/mo nomad

Gan

🇲🇻 Maldives

$44.72

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Gan

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $44.72 in Gan, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Gan $44.72

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $72.5 in Gan, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Gan $72.5

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $100 in Gan, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Gan $100

Nosara costs about 4009% more than Gan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Gan is 97% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$5.36 MVR 82.6

127.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$555 MVR 8,559

116.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Gan: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Gan

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Gan

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Gan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Gan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Gan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Gan

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Gan

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇻 Gan

🕒 Local time

22:55 10:55 PM

09:55 9:55 AM

11 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.29 MVR (100 MVR = 5.78 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Gan 17,360 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Gan

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 Gan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 4009%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $67.1 in Gan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gan, where all-in costs run around $44.72, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Gan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gan – 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 Gan. 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.