Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Goma

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities 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

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Goma

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $430 in Goma, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Goma $430

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $751 in Goma, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Goma $751

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,071 in Goma, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Goma $1,071

Nosara costs about 328% more than Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Goma is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

-17.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

34.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

-26.20%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.51 CDF 7,960

25.64%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.03 CDF 2,331

68.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.01 CDF 2,292

29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.19 CDF 2,685

175.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

-11.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.98 CDF 2,211

59.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.22 CDF 2,758

105.74%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.60 CDF 3,625

123.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

23.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$2.57 CDF 5,814

309.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

178.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.97 CDF 4,470

19.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.52 CDF 3,448

215.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.51 CDF 1,165

645.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.69 CDF 1,552

285.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.02 CDF 4,567

43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.52 CDF 5,698

44.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

143.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

-11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

135.65%

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

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

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

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

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 11, 2026

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Goma

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Goma

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Goma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Goma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Goma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Goma

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Goma

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $46.00 in Goma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $108 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇩 Goma

🕒 Local time

02:42 2:42 AM

10:42 10:42 AM

8 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CDF, 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).

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Goma 12,760 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Goma

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 Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 328% more than Goma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $645 in Goma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $430 in Goma. That's a gap of about 328%.

Groceries cost about 227% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Goma, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goma costs $430 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Goma. 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.