Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Gbawe

For one person, living is cheaper in Gbawe: $2.63 a month against $1,844 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,844

/mo nomad

Gbawe

🇬🇭 Ghana

$2.63

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Gbawe

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

A single person spends $1,844 per month in Nosara vs $2.63 in Gbawe, rent included.

Nosara $1,844
Gbawe $2.63

A couple spends around $2,817 per month in Nosara vs $5.92 in Gbawe, rent included.

Nosara $2,817
Gbawe $5.92

A family of three spends $3,790 per month in Nosara vs $9.21 in Gbawe, rent included.

Nosara $3,790
Gbawe $9.21

Nosara costs about 70001% more than Gbawe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Gbawe is 100% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,577

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 ₡27.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 ₡3,518

Cappuccino

$4.37 ₡1,969

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

$1.78 ₡802

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡606

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₡1,528

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₡1,942

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡700

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,428

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,132

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,587

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 ₡3,318

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 ₡4,710

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 ₡6,264

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ₡1,020

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡703

Oranges (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,116

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₡730

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 ₡1,749

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,706

$1.32 GHS 15.33

187.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₡482

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,176

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.16 ₡2,323

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 ₡9,157

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,312

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ₡1,653

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡589

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ₡33.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₡985

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡831

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 ₡3,519

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡703

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

$33.4K ₡15.0M

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

$38.1K ₡17.1M

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

$95.9 ₡43.2K

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

$35.37 ₡15.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 ₡24.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 ₡30.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.43 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ₡3,478

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

$496 ₡223.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 ₡24.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 ₡36.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡35.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₡368.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₡360.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,889 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 ₡628.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,977 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 ₡550.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$879 ₡395.9K

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: November 3, 2026

Last update for Gbawe: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$800 43.4%

Gbawe

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$353 19.1%

Gbawe

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Gbawe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$185 10%

Gbawe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Gbawe

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Gbawe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$83 4.5%

Gbawe

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇭 Gbawe

🕒 Local time

00:21 12:21 AM

06:21 6:21 AM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

86,718

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Ghanaian Cedi GHS ₵

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 GHS = 8.58 USD

100 GHS = 7.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 11.65 GHS (100 GHS = 8.58 USD). 1 EUR = 13.08 GHS (100 GHS = 7.65 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Gbawe 9,390 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Gbawe

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 Gbawe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,844 in Nosara, $2.63 in Gbawe – Gbawe comes out roughly 100% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,765 per month in Nosara and $3.95 in Gbawe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,844 in Nosara and $2.63 in Gbawe. That makes Gbawe about 100% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 13305% more in Nosara, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Gbawe, where all-in costs run around $2.63, than in Nosara at $1,844. In Gbawe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gbawe costs $2.63 versus $1,844 in Nosara. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.