Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Playa Flamingo Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Playa Flamingo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Nosara vs $1,593 in Playa Flamingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,637 per month in Nosara vs $2,427 in Playa Flamingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,557 per month in Nosara vs $3,261 in Playa Flamingo, rent included.

Nosara costs about 8% more than Playa Flamingo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nosara and Playa Flamingo sit above the global median – Nosara by 28%, Playa Flamingo by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.98 ₡5,017

$10.82 ₡4,941

1.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 ₡27.6K

$59.9 ₡27.4K

0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 ₡3,215

$9.80 ₡4,475

-28.16%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₡1,798

$3.79 ₡1,733

3.96%

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

$1.60 ₡731

$2.05 ₡938

-21.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₡550

$1.64 ₡751

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₡1,398

$2.90 ₡1,323

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 ₡2,178

$4.81 ₡2,196

-0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₡647

$2.00 ₡913

-29.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 ₡1,311

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₡1,015

$2.21 ₡1,011

0.45%

Eggs

$3.01 ₡1,375

$2.37 ₡1,081

27.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 ₡3,006

$9.86 ₡4,505

-33.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 ₡4,080

$9.09 ₡4,154

-1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,238

$13.60 ₡6,214

0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₡969

$4.41 ₡2,014

-51.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ₡650

$1.51 ₡691

-5.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 ₡1,951

$4.16 ₡1,901

2.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₡665

$3.54 ₡1,616

-59.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₡1,623

$3.53 ₡1,614

0.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,409

$3.10 ₡1,416

-0.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡466

$0.94 ₡430

8.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₡1,053

$2.84 ₡1,297

-18.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ₡2,048

$4.92 ₡2,247

-8.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.48 ₡9,357

$22.18 ₡10.1K

-7.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,155

$2.44 ₡1,116

3.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,324

$2.82 ₡1,290

2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₡465

$1.03 ₡472

-0.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₡841

$1.80 ₡823

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 ₡817

$1.77 ₡809

1.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ₡3,698

$7.70 ₡3,516

5.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₡597

$1.46 ₡665

-10.27%

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

$32.1K ₡14.7M

$38.2K ₡17.5M

-15.96%

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

$32.8K ₡15.0M

$32.1K ₡14.7M

2.00%

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

$94.3 ₡43.1K

$92.1 ₡42.0K

2.42%

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

$25.53 ₡11.7K

$19.62 ₡8,963

30.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.84 ₡21.4K

$60.0 ₡27.4K

-21.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ₡25.5K

$57.5 ₡26.3K

-2.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.41 ₡10.7K

$24.16 ₡11.0K

-3.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ₡4,560

$9.97 ₡4,554

0.10%

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

$445 ₡203.5K

$564 ₡257.8K

-21.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$9,050 ₡4.1M

15.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.59 ₡22.7K

$62.5 ₡28.6K

-20.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 ₡23.9K

$51.6 ₡23.6K

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ₡32.5K

$124 ₡56.4K

-42.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ₡32.2K

$109 ₡49.7K

-35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 ₡346.7K

$752 ₡343.7K

0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₡337.2K

$600 ₡274.2K

23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 ₡686.6K

$1,519 ₡694.1K

-1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ₡612.8K

$973 ₡444.5K

37.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,060 ₡3.2M

$3,597 ₡1.6M

96.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 ₡551.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$874 ₡399.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Nosara: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa Flamingo: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Nosara versus $752 in Playa Flamingo. 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 $60 in Nosara versus $60 in Playa Flamingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $365 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Playa Flamingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Nosara, $1,593 in Playa Flamingo – roughly 8% apart. Nosara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Nosara and $2,390 in Playa Flamingo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $60.0 in Playa Flamingo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Playa Flamingo, where all-in costs run around $1,593, than in Nosara at $1,716. In Playa Flamingo 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 $1,593 in Playa Flamingo to $1,716 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 Playa Flamingo. 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.