Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Manizales

For one person, living is cheaper in Manizales: $1,275 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Manizales
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Manizales Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Manizales

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,275

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Manizales

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,275 in Manizales, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Manizales $1,275

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,924 in Manizales, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Manizales $1,924

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,573 in Manizales, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Manizales $2,573

Nosara costs about 44% more than Manizales, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Manizales is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$6.21 COP 19.7K

98.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$42.01 COP 133.2K

45.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$10.24 COP 32.5K

-26.56%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.45 COP 7,753

80.00%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.37 COP 4,352

27.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.87 COP 2,744

50.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.58 COP 5,000

107.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.52 COP 8,003

77.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.63 COP 5,160

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$2.42 COP 7,658

24.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.71 COP 5,411

46.78%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.39 COP 10.8K

5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$8.12 COP 25.8K

-8.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.16 COP 22.7K

46.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$9.91 COP 31.4K

40.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.44 COP 10.9K

-31.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.85 COP 5,860

-12.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.91 COP 6,072

151.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.72 COP 5,462

-6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.41 COP 4,470

169.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.42 COP 4,507

159.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.30 COP 4,125

-13.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.14 COP 3,619

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$4.50 COP 14.3K

15.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$12.32 COP 39.1K

61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.41 COP 4,467

105.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.91 COP 9,234

24.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.99 COP 3,146

13.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.53 COP 4,856

39.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.55 COP 4,908

1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$9.27 COP 29.4K

-8.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.35 COP 4,269

12.59%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$23.2K COP 73.7M

-6.99%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$34.9K COP 110.5M

-0.96%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$121 COP 384.5K

-20.60%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$11.79 COP 37.4K

204.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$29.70 COP 94.2K

80.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$47.38 COP 150.2K

51.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$8.03 COP 25.5K

-1.74%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$501 COP 1.6M

-1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$7,403 COP 23.5M

60.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$84.7 COP 268.6K

-36.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$47.88 COP 151.8K

15.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$142 COP 450.7K

-45.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$108 COP 341.7K

-26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$467 COP 1.5M

68.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$473 COP 1.5M

67.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$828 COP 2.6M

375.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$799 COP 2.5M

77.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,064 COP 6.5M

234.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,059 COP 6.5M

-40.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,197 COP 3.8M

-27.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-28.17%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Manizales: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Manizales

$473 37.1% 40.5% $321

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Manizales

$259 20.3% 26.5% $94

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Manizales

$132 10.3% 37.9% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Manizales

$163 12.8% 12.4% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Manizales

$172 13.5% 43.4% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Manizales

$63 5% 27.4% $24

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Manizales

$13 * 1% 84.8% $74

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $467 in Manizales. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Manizales, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $42.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $259 – making Manizales the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇴 Manizales

🕒 Local time

12:29 12:29 PM

13:29 1:29 PM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

458,442

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, 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).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Manizales 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Manizales

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 Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,275 in Manizales – roughly 44% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,912 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $1,275 in Manizales. That's a gap of about 44%.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $501 in Manizales. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manizales, where all-in costs run around $1,275, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Manizales 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 $1,275 in Manizales 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 Manizales. 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.