Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Grecia Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Grecia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,712 in Nosara versus $1,371 in Grecia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,637 in Nosara versus $1,845 in Grecia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,562 in Nosara versus $2,320 in Grecia.

Living in Nosara is roughly 25% more expensive than Grecia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 28% above, Grecia 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡5,046

$8.22 ₡3,757

34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$39.14 ₡17.9K

54.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ₡3,240

$9.41 ₡4,298

-24.65%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,777

$2.52 ₡1,150

54.37%

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

$1.57 ₡719

$1.43 ₡654

9.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₡533

$0.96 ₡441

21.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₡1,345

$2.17 ₡990

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,150

$2.70 ₡1,236

74.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡671

$1.91 ₡875

-23.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ₡1,286

$1.03 ₡469

172.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,026

$2.13 ₡972

5.63%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,345

$3.01 ₡1,377

-2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 ₡3,099

$6.02 ₡2,748

12.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 ₡4,126

$4.03 ₡1,840

124.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,223

$13.94 ₡6,371

-2.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₡935

$2.21 ₡1,008

-7.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡668

$1.52 ₡696

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,908

$1.17 ₡533

257.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₡691

$1.17 ₡535

29.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,573

$1.60 ₡733

115.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,457

$1.37 ₡624

132.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡437

$1.02 ₡468

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,104

$2.00 ₡916

21.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ₡2,107

$5.29 ₡2,416

-12.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 ₡9,601

$12.78 ₡5,839

64.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,100

$1.90 ₡868

26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,301

$1.42 ₡648

100.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡438

$1.80 ₡820

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡822

$1.83 ₡836

-1.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡845

$1.80 ₡821

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,550

$7.98 ₡3,646

-2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₡585

$1.46 ₡668

-12.33%

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

$32.4K ₡14.8M

$37.5K ₡17.1M

-13.42%

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

$32.2K ₡14.7M

$32.7K ₡14.9M

-1.39%

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

$95.5 ₡43.6K

$82.7 ₡37.8K

15.42%

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

$26.09 ₡11.9K

$25.62 ₡11.7K

1.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 ₡21.7K

$59.5 ₡27.2K

-20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.4K

$45.15 ₡20.6K

28.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 ₡10.8K

$23.90 ₡10.9K

-1.42%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,651

$6.95 ₡3,175

46.47%

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

$442 ₡202.1K

$575 ₡262.9K

-23.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$12.7K ₡5.8M

-17.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₡23.1K

$62.0 ₡28.3K

-18.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 ₡23.5K

$51.6 ₡23.6K

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₡33.0K

$127 ₡58.1K

-43.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ₡32.1K

$109 ₡49.7K

-35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡352.0K

$400 ₡182.8K

92.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡334.8K

$604 ₡275.8K

21.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 ₡685.6K

$703 ₡321.2K

113.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ₡589.4K

$608 ₡277.6K

112.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡563.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡409.9K

$667 ₡304.6K

34.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Last update for Grecia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Nosara and $400 in Grecia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 35% 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: $60.0 in Nosara vs $39.00 in Grecia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $234 per month, with Grecia cheaper across the board.

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 Grecia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grecia wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Grecia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Nosara pays 35% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $770 in Nosara versus $400 in Grecia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $442 in Nosara versus $575 in Grecia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Grecia – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,371 in Grecia versus $1,712 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Grecia but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Grecia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Grecia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,371 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Grecia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Grecia 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 Grecia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.