Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Las Tablas

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $458 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Las Tablas $458

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $680 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Las Tablas $680

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $902 in Las Tablas, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Las Tablas $902

Nosara costs about 302% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Las Tablas is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$9.99 PAB 9.99

23.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$29.72 PAB 29.72

105.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$8.34 PAB 8.34

-9.83%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.99 PAB 0.99

75.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.03 PAB 1.03

27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.24 PAB 1.24

164.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.69 PAB 2.69

66.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.93 PAB 1.93

56.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.11 PAB 2.11

69.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$4.34 PAB 4.34

-45.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.26 PAB 1.26

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.55 PAB 1.55

3.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.24 PAB 1.24

-8.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.03 PAB 1.03

158.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$5.68 PAB 5.68

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.31 PAB 1.31

121.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.72 PAB 1.72

111.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$0.99 PAB 0.99

116.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.89 PAB 0.89

70.79%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$149 PAB 149

-35.34%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$22.86 PAB 22.86

57.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$37.04 PAB 37.04

44.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$19.94 PAB 19.94

259.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

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 11, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Las Tablas

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Las Tablas

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Las Tablas

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Las Tablas

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Las Tablas

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Las Tablas

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Las Tablas

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $30.00 in Las Tablas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $103 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🕒 Local time

05:44 5:44 AM

06:44 6:44 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

8,939

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Las Tablas 640 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 302% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $687 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $458 in Las Tablas. That's a gap of about 302%.

Groceries cost about 241% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Tablas costs $458 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Las Tablas. 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.