Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Latacunga

For one person, living is cheaper in Latacunga: $782 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Latacunga
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Latacunga Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Latacunga

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Latacunga

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $782 in Latacunga, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Latacunga $782

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,269 in Latacunga, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Latacunga $1,269

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,756 in Latacunga, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Latacunga $1,756

Nosara costs about 135% more than Latacunga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Latacunga is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,550

$2.55 $2.55

384.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$28.41 $28.41

115.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,379

$9.03 $9.03

-16.72%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,982

$2.79 $2.79

58.06%

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

$1.74 ₡781

$0.87 $0.87

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡588

$0.48 $0.48

172.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,474

$3.05 $3.05

7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,008

$4.28 $4.28

4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$1.18 $1.18

32.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,358

$2.01 $2.01

50.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

$0.98 $0.98

156.12%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,606

$1.75 $1.75

104.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,340

$4.87 $4.87

52.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,727

$5.09 $5.09

106.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,277

$9.37 $9.37

49.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

$1.49 $1.49

57.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$1.18 $1.18

36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,156

$1.03 $1.03

366.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

$0.96 $0.96

67.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

$1.03 $1.03

268.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,660

$0.91 $0.91

305.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡508

$0.52 $0.52

117.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

$1.02 $1.02

160.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,326

$5.90 $5.90

-12.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,934

$10.09 $10.09

97.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,303

$1.46 $1.46

98.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,629

$2.22 $2.22

63.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡505

$0.37 $0.37

202.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$16.94 $16.94

328.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡960

$1.32 $1.32

62.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡705

$1.78 $1.78

-11.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,830

$12.05 $12.05

-29.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

$0.66 $0.66

130.30%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$20.7K $20.7K

4.36%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$31.3K $31.3K

10.44%

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

$96.3 ₡43.3K

$39.72 $39.72

142.42%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$14.95 $14.95

140.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$26.59 $26.59

101.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.2K

$27.47 $27.47

160.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$17.83 $17.83

95.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,546

$7.57 $7.57

4.23%

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

$494 ₡222.0K

$378 $378

30.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$5,776 $5,776

105.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$64.5 $64.5

-16.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$40.29 $40.29

37.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$126 $126

-38.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$91.6 $91.6

-13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡354.1K

$295 $295

166.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.9K

$188 $188

321.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$723 $723

445.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.7K

$407 $407

249.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,068 $1,068

546.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡550.0K

$739 $739

65.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡388.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-13.80%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Latacunga: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Latacunga

$188 24.1% 76.3% $606

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Latacunga

$186 23.7% 47.3% $167

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Latacunga

$110 14.1% 48% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Latacunga

$81 10.4% 56.3% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Latacunga

$145 18.6% 20.9% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Latacunga

$43 5.5% 51.2% $45

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Latacunga

$29 3.7% 67.2% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $295 in Latacunga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $28.00 in Latacunga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $186 – making Latacunga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇪🇨 Latacunga

🕒 Local time

11:51 11:51 AM

12:51 12:51 PM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

57,127

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Latacunga 1,440 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Latacunga

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 Latacunga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $782 in Latacunga – roughly 135% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,173 in Latacunga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Latacunga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $378 in Latacunga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Latacunga, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Latacunga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $782 in Latacunga to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Latacunga. 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.