Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Montana

For one person, living is cheaper in Montana: $833 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 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
40

Cost of Living Index in Montana
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Montana Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Montana

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$833

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Montana

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $833 in Montana, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Montana $833

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,339 in Montana, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Montana $1,339

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,846 in Montana, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Montana $1,846

Nosara costs about 121% more than Montana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Montana is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,547

$9.04 BGN 15.83

36.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$36.16 BGN 63.3

69.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,377

$9.85 BGN 17.24

-23.65%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,981

$1.39 BGN 2.43

217.27%

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

$1.74 ₡781

$1.38 BGN 2.42

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡588

$1.11 BGN 1.94

18.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,473

$1.28 BGN 2.24

156.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,007

$1.01 BGN 1.77

342.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$1.69 BGN 2.96

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,357

$1.00 BGN 1.76

202.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

$2.10 BGN 3.68

19.52%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,605

$2.72 BGN 4.77

31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,338

$9.73 BGN 17.03

-23.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,724

$3.25 BGN 5.68

223.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,274

$12.63 BGN 22.10

10.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

$1.21 BGN 2.12

94.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$1.78 BGN 3.12

-9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,155

$1.76 BGN 3.07

172.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

$2.56 BGN 4.49

-37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

$0.70 BGN 1.23

442.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,659

$0.93 BGN 1.62

296.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.90 BGN 1.58

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

$0.49 BGN 0.86

442.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,324

$3.68 BGN 6.44

40.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,929

$6.31 BGN 11.04

215.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,302

$0.89 BGN 1.55

225.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,628

$1.12 BGN 1.97

224.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡505

$0.89 BGN 1.56

25.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$24.29 BGN 42.50

199.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡959

$0.66 BGN 1.15

224.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡704

$0.47 BGN 0.83

234.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,828

$10.36 BGN 18.12

-17.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

$1.58 BGN 2.76

-3.80%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$19.6K BGN 34.3K

10.25%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$23.7K BGN 41.5K

45.73%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$99.8 BGN 175

-3.49%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$18.72 BGN 32.77

91.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$8.52 BGN 14.90

528.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$29.86 BGN 52.3

139.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$17.20 BGN 30.10

102.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,544

$5.31 BGN 9.29

48.59%

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

$494 ₡221.9K

$522 BGN 914

-5.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$5,479 BGN 9,589

116.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$67.8 BGN 119

-20.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$42.05 BGN 73.6

31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$94.7 BGN 166

-17.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$105 BGN 183

-23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.9K

$214 BGN 374

268.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.7K

$160 BGN 280

396.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$404 BGN 707

875.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.4K

$304 BGN 532

367.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,329 BGN 2,326

420.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.8K

$1,078 BGN 1,886

13.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.8K

$992 BGN 1,737

-12.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

3.1

178.06%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montana: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Montana

$160 19.2% 79.9% $634

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Montana

$199 23.9% 43.5% $153

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Montana

$137 16.4% 35.4% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Montana

$127 15.2% 31.6% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Montana

$139 16.7% 15.9% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Montana

$40 4.9% 53.7% $47

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Montana

$31 3.7% 64.6% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $214 in Montana. 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 15% higher in Montana, 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 $36.00 in Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $199 – making Montana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇬 Montana

🕒 Local time

15:23 3:23 PM

00:23 12:23 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

44,502

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Montana 10,720 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Montana

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 Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 121%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,250 in Montana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 199% less in Montana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $522 in Montana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Montana, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Montana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montana – 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 Montana. 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.