Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Jamestown

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown: $89.5 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $21,000 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

$1,837

/mo nomad

Jamestown

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$89.5

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Jamestown

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $89.5 in Jamestown, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Jamestown $89.5

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $154 in Jamestown, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Jamestown $154

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $219 in Jamestown, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Jamestown $219

Nosara costs about 1952% more than Jamestown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Jamestown is 93% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$1.81 SHP 1.37

75.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$5.27 SHP 3.98

-32.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$10.79 SHP 8.15

26.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.30 SHP 0.98

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$12.06 SHP 9.11

-58.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

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 5, 2026

Last update for Jamestown: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Jamestown

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Jamestown

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Jamestown

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Jamestown

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Jamestown

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Jamestown

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Jamestown

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇸🇭 Jamestown

🕒 Local time

02:09 2:09 AM

08:09 8:09 AM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

600 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 SHP = 1.32 USD

1 SHP = 1.18 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SHP, 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).

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.755 SHP (1 SHP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.847 SHP (1 SHP = 1.18 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Jamestown 9,250 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Jamestown

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 Jamestown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 1952%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $134 in Jamestown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $89.5 in Jamestown. That's a gap of about 1952%.

Groceries cost about 301% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jamestown, where all-in costs run around $89.5, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Jamestown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jamestown – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Jamestown. 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.