Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Hamilton

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,237 in Hamilton, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton
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Hamilton Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Hamilton

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,237

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Hamilton

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,237 in Hamilton.

Nosara $1,837
Hamilton $2,237

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $3,267 in Hamilton.

Nosara $2,775
Hamilton $3,267

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $4,297 in Hamilton.

Nosara $3,712
Hamilton $4,297

Living in Nosara costs roughly 18% less than in Hamilton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Hamilton 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$17.65 CA$25.16

-30.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$60.7 CA$86.5

-0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$11.96 CA$17.05

-36.96%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$3.48 CA$4.96

23.85%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$2.15 CA$3.06

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$1.64 CA$2.34

-17.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$4.87 CA$6.95

-33.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$6.13 CA$8.74

-26.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$2.17 CA$3.09

-27.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$2.23 CA$3.17

42.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$2.54 CA$3.62

-4.72%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$3.20 CA$4.55

11.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$7.91 CA$11.27

-6.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$10.76 CA$15.34

-3.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$13.64 CA$19.44

0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$3.82 CA$5.45

-39.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.21 CA$1.73

33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$4.04 CA$5.76

17.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$3.80 CA$5.42

-56.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$2.33 CA$3.32

59.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$1.58 CA$2.25

125.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$2.17 CA$3.09

-49.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.30 CA$1.85

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$12.33 CA$17.58

-59.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$13.26 CA$18.90

50.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.45 CA$3.49

13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$3.37 CA$4.81

4.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$2.49 CA$3.55

-52.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$85.6 CA$122

-15.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$3.40 CA$4.85

-34.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$1.23 CA$1.75

26.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$23.37 CA$33.32

-62.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.19 CA$1.70

31.93%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$27.5K CA$39.2K

-20.80%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$19.9K CA$28.3K

74.20%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$149 CA$212

-37.30%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$41.14 CA$58.7

-14.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$49.32 CA$70.3

4.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$37.18 CA$53.0

92.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$17.33 CA$24.71

104.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$10.19 CA$14.52

-23.06%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$597 CA$852

-18.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$16.2K CA$23.1K

-26.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$48.29 CA$68.8

10.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$30.75 CA$43.83

81.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$86.2 CA$123

-8.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$115 CA$163

-31.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$1,263 CA$1,801

-37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$1,135 CA$1,617

-31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$2,006 CA$2,859

92.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$1,869 CA$2,664

-24.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$2,659 CA$3,790

162.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$2,694 CA$3,840

-55.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$2,896 CA$4,128

-69.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.6

87.39%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Hamilton

$1.1K 50.2% 45.5% $355

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Hamilton

$327 14.5% 6.5% $23

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Hamilton

$271 12% 29.2% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Hamilton

$240 10.6% 33% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Hamilton

$126 5.6% 4.6% $5.5

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Hamilton

$58 2.6% 33.9% $30

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Hamilton

$105 4.7% 21% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Nosara and $1,263 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 230% 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 $61.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $327, with Hamilton cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇦 Hamilton

🕒 Local time

02:19 2:19 AM

04:19 4:19 AM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

519,949

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, 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).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Hamilton 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Hamilton

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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 230% lower in Hamilton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $786 in Nosara versus $1,263 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $597 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Hamilton pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,237 in Hamilton, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Hamilton 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 Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.