Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Jaco Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Jaco Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,712 in Nosara versus $1,315 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,637 in Nosara versus $2,098 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,562 in Nosara versus $2,880 in Jaco Beach.

Living in Nosara is roughly 30% more expensive than Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 28% above, Jaco Beach is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡5,063

$7.30 ₡3,348

51.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.7K

$39.91 ₡18.3K

51.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ₡3,251

$8.75 ₡4,010

-18.97%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,783

$3.80 ₡1,742

2.37%

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

$1.57 ₡721

$1.59 ₡727

-1.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₡534

$0.91 ₡419

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₡1,349

$2.93 ₡1,341

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,157

$2.97 ₡1,360

58.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡673

$1.46 ₡670

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ₡1,290

$2.03 ₡929

38.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,029

$2.13 ₡978

5.63%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,350

$2.46 ₡1,128

19.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 ₡3,109

$9.81 ₡4,498

-30.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 ₡4,140

$8.20 ₡3,761

10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,244

$10.77 ₡4,937

26.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₡938

$4.43 ₡2,033

-53.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡670

$1.52 ₡697

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,914

$4.24 ₡1,942

-1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₡693

$3.15 ₡1,442

-52.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,578

$1.36 ₡622

152.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,462

$1.29 ₡590

147.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡438

$0.86 ₡394

11.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,108

$1.77 ₡811

36.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ₡2,114

$5.39 ₡2,471

-14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 ₡9,633

$13.85 ₡6,351

51.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,103

$2.34 ₡1,071

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,306

$1.97 ₡905

44.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡440

$1.03 ₡474

-6.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡825

$1.79 ₡821

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡848

$1.84 ₡845

0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,561

$8.00 ₡3,665

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₡587

$1.45 ₡667

-11.72%

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

$32.4K ₡14.9M

$38.4K ₡17.6M

-15.63%

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

$32.2K ₡14.8M

$32.6K ₡14.9M

-1.14%

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

$95.5 ₡43.8K

$71.1 ₡32.6K

34.30%

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

$26.09 ₡12.0K

$21.66 ₡9,928

20.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 ₡21.7K

$42.49 ₡19.5K

11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.5K

$47.14 ₡21.6K

22.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 ₡10.8K

$23.68 ₡10.9K

-0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,666

$9.73 ₡4,460

4.62%

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

$442 ₡202.8K

$447 ₡204.8K

-0.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$6,633 ₡3.0M

58.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₡23.2K

$62.2 ₡28.5K

-18.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 ₡23.6K

$52.0 ₡23.8K

-1.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₡33.1K

$125 ₡57.4K

-42.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ₡32.3K

$109 ₡49.8K

-35.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡353.2K

$556 ₡255.0K

38.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡335.9K

$495 ₡226.8K

48.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 ₡687.8K

$1,865 ₡854.9K

-19.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ₡591.4K

$1,044 ₡478.6K

23.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡565.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡411.3K

$401 ₡184.0K

123.56%

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 Jaco Beach: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Nosara and $556 in Jaco Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 124% 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 $40.00 in Jaco Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $295 per month, with Jaco Beach 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 Jaco Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Nosara pays 124% 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 $556 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $442 in Nosara versus $447 in Jaco Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,315 in Jaco Beach versus $1,712 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Nosara and Jaco Beach 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 Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.