Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kingston upon Thames

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Kingston upon Thames
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,276
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kingston upon Thames

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 Kingston upon Thames actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Kingston upon Thames $3,276

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $4,746 in Kingston upon Thames.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Kingston upon Thames $4,746

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $6,216 in Kingston upon Thames.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Kingston upon Thames $6,216

Living in Nosara costs roughly 44% less than in Kingston upon Thames, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Kingston upon Thames 143% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$22.10 £16.58
-44.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$86.6 £65.0
-29.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$10.42 £7.82
-27.83%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$5.46 £4.09
-19.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$3.00 £2.25
-42.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.80 £1.35
-27.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$9.20 £6.91
-64.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$7.91 £5.93
-43.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.68 £1.26
-7.14%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.73 £1.30
74.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.45 £1.84
2.45%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$4.91 £3.68
-27.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$8.46 £6.35
-12.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$8.72 £6.54
20.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$12.99 £9.74
7.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$3.13 £2.35
-24.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.35 £1.01
19.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.61 £1.96
83.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$2.90 £2.18
-44.48%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.67 £1.25
127.54%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.71 £1.28
115.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.24 £0.93
-8.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.80 £1.35
47.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$23.28 £17.46
-77.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$9.31 £6.99
113.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$3.09 £2.32
-6.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$4.45 £3.34
-18.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$2.37 £1.78
-52.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$42.49 £31.88
70.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$4.91 £3.69
-56.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.43 £1.07
9.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$23.70 £17.78
-64.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$1.98 £1.49
-23.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$37.7K £28.3K
-42.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$39.8K £29.9K
-13.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$371 £278
-74.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$15.63 £11.73
129.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$40.78 £30.60
31.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$102 £76.8
-30.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$10.49 £7.87
232.79%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$19.46 £14.60
-59.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$2,594 £1,946
-80.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$22.2K £16.6K
-46.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$114 £85.7
-52.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$53.6 £40.19
3.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$78.1 £58.6
-0.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$106 £79.7
-25.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$2,035 £1,527
-61.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$1,832 £1,374
-56.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$3,567 £2,676
10.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$3,164 £2,374
-55.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$5,303 £3,978
-83.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
4.74
81.86%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Kingston upon Thames
$1.8K 131% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Kingston upon Thames
$298 15.4% $54
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Kingston upon Thames
$355 67.4% $143
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Kingston upon Thames
$427 130% $241
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Kingston upon Thames
$158 32% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Kingston upon Thames
$141 61.8% $54
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Kingston upon Thames
$64 26.5% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $2,035 in Kingston upon Thames. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston upon Thames pays 514% 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: $61.0 in Nosara vs $87.0 in Kingston upon Thames. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $298, with Kingston upon Thames cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇧 Kingston upon Thames
🕒 Local time
03:55 3:55 AM
10:55 10:55 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
43,013
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Kingston upon Thames 8,820 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Kingston upon Thames

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 Kingston upon Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Kingston upon Thames?
Nosara and Kingston upon Thames differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $3,276 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 514% lower in Kingston upon Thames. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Kingston upon Thames?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $2,035 in Kingston upon Thames. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Kingston upon Thames?
A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 71% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Kingston upon Thames?
Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $2,594 in Kingston upon Thames. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $3,276 in Kingston upon Thames, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Kingston upon Thames. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Kingston upon Thames?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Nosara or Kingston upon Thames safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Kingston upon Thames are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Nosara or Kingston upon Thames?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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