Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Portmore

For one person, living is cheaper in Portmore: $1,246 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 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
61

Cost of Living Index in Portmore
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Portmore Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Portmore

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,246

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Portmore

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,246 in Portmore, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Portmore $1,246

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,073 in Portmore, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Portmore $2,073

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,900 in Portmore, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Portmore $2,900

Nosara costs about 48% more than Portmore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Portmore is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$10.15 JMD 1,603

21.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$63.3 JMD 10.0K

-3.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$8.04 JMD 1,270

-6.47%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.43 JMD 859

-18.78%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.90 JMD 143

93.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.66 JMD 104

98.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$2.18 JMD 345

50.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.16 JMD 342

106.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$3.02 JMD 478

-48.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.49 JMD 551

-13.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.02 JMD 161

146.08%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.61 JMD 571

-1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$11.52 JMD 1,821

-35.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$6.30 JMD 996

66.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$9.43 JMD 1,490

48.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$5.99 JMD 946

-60.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$3.93 JMD 620

-59.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.96 JMD 468

62.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$3.01 JMD 476

-46.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$3.30 JMD 521

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.60 JMD 411

41.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.59 JMD 251

-28.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.26 JMD 199

111.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$9.64 JMD 1,523

-46.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$11.24 JMD 1,776

76.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.81 JMD 444

3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.26 JMD 356

60.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.29 JMD 361

-51.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$50.2 JMD 7,931

44.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$0.96 JMD 152

122.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$3.09 JMD 488

-49.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$6.24 JMD 985

36.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.18 JMD 187

28.81%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-49.85%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$32.3K JMD 5.1M

6.81%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$155 JMD 24.5K

-37.81%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$29.01 JMD 4,583

23.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$52.7 JMD 8,322

1.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$60.2 JMD 9,503

19.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$13.38 JMD 2,114

-41.03%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$285 JMD 45.1K

73.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$3,143 JMD 496.5K

277.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$23.25 JMD 3,674

132.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$30.94 JMD 4,889

79.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$78.7 JMD 12.4K

-0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$94.5 JMD 14.9K

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$307 JMD 48.6K

156.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$216 JMD 34.1K

267.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$656 JMD 103.7K

500.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$590 JMD 93.3K

140.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$7,466 JMD 1.2M

-7.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$5,702 JMD 900.9K

-78.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,301 JMD 205.5K

-33.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

9.45

-8.78%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Portmore: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Portmore

$216 17.3% 72.8% $578

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Portmore

$336 27% 4.6% $16

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Portmore

$192 15.4% 9.4% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Portmore

$237 19% 27.3% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Portmore

$102 8.2% 14.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Portmore

$87 7% 0.5% $0.5

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Portmore

$76 6.1% 13% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $307 in Portmore. 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 51% higher in Portmore, 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 $63.0 in Portmore. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $336 in Portmore – so Portmore wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇯🇲 Portmore

🕒 Local time

15:04 3:04 PM

16:04 4:04 PM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

170,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, 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).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.63 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Portmore 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Portmore

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 Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,246 in Portmore – roughly 48% 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 $1,868 in Portmore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 45% less in Portmore. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $285 in Portmore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Portmore, where all-in costs run around $1,246, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Portmore 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 $1,246 in Portmore 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 Portmore. 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.