Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Port Douglas

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,559 in Port Douglas, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 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
123

Cost of Living Index in Port Douglas
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Port Douglas Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Port Douglas

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,559

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Port Douglas

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $2,559 in Port Douglas, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Port Douglas $2,559

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $3,834 in Port Douglas, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Port Douglas $3,834

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $5,110 in Port Douglas, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Port Douglas $5,110

Nosara is about 28% cheaper than Port Douglas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Port Douglas sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Port Douglas by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,556

$17.13 A$24.54

-27.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$99.0 A$142

-38.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,383

$12.57 A$18.01

-40.18%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,984

$4.47 A$6.40

-1.34%

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

$1.74 ₡782

$3.12 A$4.46

-44.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡589

$2.64 A$3.79

-50.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,475

$7.00 A$10.03

-53.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,010

$8.12 A$11.63

-44.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡703

$1.86 A$2.66

-16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,359

$2.65 A$3.80

13.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,129

$2.52 A$3.61

-0.40%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,608

$5.34 A$7.66

-33.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,344

$9.19 A$13.17

-19.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,732

$13.57 A$19.44

-22.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,284

$14.86 A$21.29

-5.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,055

$4.13 A$5.92

-43.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡722

$2.84 A$4.08

-43.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,159

$3.67 A$5.26

30.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡726

$5.64 A$8.07

-71.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,708

$2.47 A$3.54

53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,662

$2.53 A$3.63

45.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡508

$2.76 A$3.95

-59.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,195

$2.59 A$3.72

2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,328

$44.97 A$64.4

-88.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,944

$13.83 A$19.81

43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,304

$3.65 A$5.23

-20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,631

$5.36 A$7.68

-32.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡506

$2.67 A$3.83

-58.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.7K

$80.1 A$115

-9.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡961

$2.54 A$3.64

-15.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡706

$2.00 A$2.86

-21.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,835

$42.60 A$61.0

-80.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡684

$1.24 A$1.78

22.58%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$30.4K A$43.6K

-28.97%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$40.3K A$57.8K

-14.44%

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

$96.3 ₡43.3K

$162 A$232

-40.55%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$35.15 A$50.4

2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$66.4 A$95.1

-19.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.2K

$58.3 A$83.5

22.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$17.90 A$25.64

95.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,550

$13.65 A$19.56

-42.20%

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

$494 ₡222.3K

$2,041 A$2,923

-75.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$13.9K A$19.9K

-14.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.3K

$89.1 A$128

-39.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$70.5 A$101

-21.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.1K

$125 A$179

-37.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$132 A$189

-39.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡354.5K

$1,463 A$2,096

-46.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡357.3K

$1,208 A$1,730

-34.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,047 A$2,932

92.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡638.4K

$1,965 A$2,815

-27.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$6,639 A$9,510

4.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡550.7K

$5,060 A$7,249

-75.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡388.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.32

36.39%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Port Douglas: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Port Douglas

$1.2K 47.2% 52.1% $414

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Port Douglas

$409 16% 16% $56

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Port Douglas

$303 11.8% 42.9% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Port Douglas

$263 10.3% 41.8% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Port Douglas

$187 7.3% 56.1% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Port Douglas

$86 3.4% 2% $1.8

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Port Douglas

$103 4% 18.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $1,463 in Port Douglas. 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 $99.0 in Port Douglas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $409 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇦🇺 Port Douglas

🕒 Local time

17:04 5:04 PM

09:04 9:04 AM

16 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

3,500

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 AUD = 0.698 USD

1 AUD = 0.624 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.624 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Port Douglas 14,450 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Port Douglas

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 Port Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $2,559 in Port Douglas – roughly 39% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $3,838 in Port Douglas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $2,041 in Port Douglas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Port Douglas at $2,559. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Douglas 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 $1,839 in Nosara to $2,559 in Port Douglas. 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Douglas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.