Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Iloilo

For one person, living is cheaper in Iloilo: $693 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Iloilo
🇵🇭 Philippines
$693
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Iloilo

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $693 in Iloilo, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,837
  • Iloilo $693

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,054 in Iloilo, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,775
  • Iloilo $1,054

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,416 in Iloilo, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,712
  • Iloilo $1,416

Nosara costs about 165% more than Iloilo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Iloilo is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₡5,509
$2.83 ₱177
331.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.1K
$19.43 ₱1,219
209.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₡3,399
$3.15 ₱198
139.37%
Cappuccino
$4.31 ₡1,941
$2.09 ₱131
106.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡773
$0.65 ₱40.93
164.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₡608
$0.34 ₱21.39
297.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,459
$1.06 ₱66.6
205.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₡2,018
$1.81 ₱113
147.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡707
$1.69 ₱106
-7.10%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,429
$1.20 ₱75.1
164.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
$0.84 ₱52.9
188.10%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,609
$2.06 ₱129
73.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,349
$6.05 ₱379
22.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.42 ₡4,697
$4.04 ₱254
157.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.66 ₡6,156
$6.18 ₱388
121.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 ₡1,044
$3.32 ₱208
-30.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡728
$1.04 ₱65.3
54.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 ₡2,138
$3.06 ₱192
54.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 ₡747
$1.38 ₱86.4
20.29%
Potato (1kg)
$3.72 ₡1,679
$2.39 ₱150
55.65%
Onion (1kg)
$3.57 ₡1,611
$2.71 ₱170
31.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₡497
$1.47 ₱92.4
-25.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 ₡1,149
$0.81 ₱50.8
214.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 ₡2,232
$2.99 ₱188
65.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.01 ₡9,020
$6.19 ₱388
223.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₡1,256
$1.10 ₱68.8
153.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₡1,589
$1.26 ₱78.8
180.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₡537
$0.24 ₱15.09
395.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.1 ₡32.5K
$4.59 ₱288
1470.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₡1,011
$0.82 ₱51.4
173.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 ₡701
$0.34 ₱21.10
355.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₡3,993
$2.36 ₱148
275.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$1.16 ₱72.9
35.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₡9.8M
$21.8K ₱1.4M
0.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
$19.5K ₱1.2M
77.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.1K
$64.5 ₱4,044
44.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.11 ₡15.8K
$9.82 ₱616
257.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 ₡23.2K
$27.65 ₱1,734
86.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 ₡32.2K
$9.76 ₱612
631.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 ₡3,535
$4.70 ₱295
66.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡220.7K
$31.77 ₱1,993
1440.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₡24.1K
$23.50 ₱1,474
127.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.1K
$17.74 ₱1,113
214.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₡35.7K
$55.5 ₱3,480
42.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 ₡35.6K
$23.96 ₱1,503
229.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$786 ₡354.3K
$308 ₱19.3K
154.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 ₡351.6K
$246 ₱15.4K
216.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,860 ₡1.7M
$1,184 ₱74.3K
226.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 ₡634.4K
$436 ₱27.4K
222.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,972 ₡3.1M
$3,633 ₱227.9K
91.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 ₡541.3K
$1,055 ₱66.2K
13.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Iloilo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 ₡395.0K
$206 ₱12.9K
325.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
7.33
17.60%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Iloilo: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$780
Iloilo
$246 68.4% $534
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Iloilo
$188 46.2% $162
Eating Out
Nosara
$209
Iloilo
$70 66.5% $139
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$180
Iloilo
$102 43.4% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Iloilo
$54 54.9% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Iloilo
$19 78% $68
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Iloilo
$8.1 90.7% $79

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $308 in Iloilo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 325% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $19.00 in Iloilo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $188 – making Iloilo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇵🇭 Iloilo
🕒 Local time
02:16 2:16 AM
16:16 4:16 PM
14 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
457,626
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Iloilo 16,140 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Iloilo

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 Iloilo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iloilo cheaper than Nosara?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 165%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,040 in Iloilo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Iloilo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Nosara or in Iloilo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $19.00 in Iloilo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nosara and in Iloilo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $693 in Iloilo. That's a gap of about 165%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Iloilo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iloilo, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Iloilo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nosara or Iloilo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Iloilo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Iloilo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Iloilo. 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.

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