Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Oshawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,331 in Oshawa, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Oshawa
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,331
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Oshawa

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $2,331 in Oshawa, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,837
  • Oshawa $2,331

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $3,293 in Oshawa, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,775
  • Oshawa $3,293

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $4,255 in Oshawa, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,712
  • Oshawa $4,255

Nosara is about 21% cheaper than Oshawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Nosara and Oshawa sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Oshawa by 74%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₡5,509
$13.89 CA$19.81
-12.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.1K
$60.6 CA$86.3
-0.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₡3,399
$8.41 CA$11.98
-10.34%
Cappuccino
$4.31 ₡1,941
$3.36 CA$4.79
28.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡773
$1.74 CA$2.49
-1.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₡608
$1.39 CA$1.99
-2.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,459
$4.83 CA$6.89
-32.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₡2,018
$5.83 CA$8.31
-23.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡707
$2.88 CA$4.11
-45.49%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,429
$2.86 CA$4.07
10.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
$4.05 CA$5.78
-40.25%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,609
$2.93 CA$4.18
21.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,349
$9.59 CA$13.67
-22.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.42 ₡4,697
$13.92 CA$19.84
-25.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.66 ₡6,156
$16.33 CA$23.28
-16.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 ₡1,044
$4.31 CA$6.14
-46.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡728
$1.22 CA$1.74
31.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 ₡2,138
$2.79 CA$3.98
69.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 ₡747
$3.74 CA$5.33
-55.61%
Potato (1kg)
$3.72 ₡1,679
$3.33 CA$4.75
11.71%
Onion (1kg)
$3.57 ₡1,611
$2.60 CA$3.70
37.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₡497
$2.23 CA$3.18
-50.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 ₡1,149
$1.72 CA$2.45
48.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 ₡2,232
$14.14 CA$20.15
-64.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.01 ₡9,020
$12.27 CA$17.49
63.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₡1,256
$3.54 CA$5.05
-21.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₡1,589
$3.56 CA$5.07
-0.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₡537
$2.48 CA$3.53
-52.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.1 ₡32.5K
$69.7 CA$99.4
3.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₡1,011
$3.56 CA$5.07
-37.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 ₡701
$0.68 CA$0.96
127.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₡3,993
$17.25 CA$24.59
-48.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$1.09 CA$1.55
44.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₡9.8M
$28.2K CA$40.2K
-22.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
$19.7K CA$28.1K
75.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.1K
$137 CA$196
-31.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.11 ₡15.8K
$37.26 CA$53.1
-5.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 ₡23.2K
$51.8 CA$73.9
-0.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 ₡32.2K
$28.53 CA$40.66
150.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.44 ₡16.0K
$28.76 CA$41.00
23.23%
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 ₡3,535
$10.43 CA$14.87
-24.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡220.7K
$1,199 CA$1,709
-59.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₡24.1K
$55.5 CA$79.1
-3.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.1K
$55.2 CA$78.6
1.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₡35.7K
$102 CA$146
-22.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 ₡35.6K
$128 CA$182
-38.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$786 ₡354.3K
$1,375 CA$1,959
-42.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 ₡351.6K
$1,180 CA$1,682
-33.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,860 ₡1.7M
$1,945 CA$2,772
98.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 ₡634.4K
$1,794 CA$2,558
-21.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,972 ₡3.1M
$5,188 CA$7,394
34.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 ₡541.3K
$10.2K CA$14.5K
-88.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Oshawa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 ₡395.0K
$2,881 CA$4,107
-69.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
4.53
90.29%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$780
Oshawa
$1.2K 51.3% $400
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Oshawa
$386 10.3% $36
Eating Out
Nosara
$209
Oshawa
$225 7.5% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$180
Oshawa
$226 25.7% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Oshawa
$153 27.5% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Oshawa
$49 43.3% $38
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Oshawa
$87 0.3% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $1,375 in Oshawa. 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 229% higher in Oshawa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $61.0 in Oshawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $386 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇨🇦 Oshawa
🕒 Local time
21:12 9:12 PM
23:12 11:12 PM
2 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
159,458
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Oshawa 3,830 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Oshawa

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 Oshawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Oshawa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $2,331 in Oshawa – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Oshawa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $3,496 in Oshawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Oshawa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Oshawa?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Oshawa?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $1,199 in Oshawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Oshawa at $2,331. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oshawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Oshawa?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,837 in Nosara to $2,331 in Oshawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Oshawa safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Nosara and Oshawa?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oshawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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