Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Redland City

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,300 in Redland City, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Redland City
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,300
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Redland City

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $2,300 in Redland City, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Redland City $2,300

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $3,289 in Redland City, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Redland City $3,289

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $4,278 in Redland City, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Redland City $4,278

Nosara is about 20% cheaper than Redland City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Redland City sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Redland City by 70%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$15.46 A$22.25
-20.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$62.6 A$90.1
-2.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$9.48 A$13.64
-20.68%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$3.79 A$5.45
16.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$2.75 A$3.95
-36.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$2.06 A$2.97
-36.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$7.58 A$10.91
-56.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$6.11 A$8.80
-26.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.50 A$2.16
4.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$2.69 A$3.87
12.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.34 A$3.36
7.26%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$4.84 A$6.97
-26.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$8.23 A$11.84
-9.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$9.15 A$13.16
14.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$14.63 A$21.05
-4.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$3.42 A$4.92
-31.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$2.80 A$4.03
-42.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.15 A$3.09
123.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$3.52 A$5.07
-54.26%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$2.57 A$3.70
47.86%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.79 A$2.58
106.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$2.10 A$3.02
-46.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.50 A$2.16
77.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$33.93 A$48.83
-84.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$11.04 A$15.88
80.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$4.81 A$6.92
-39.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$4.23 A$6.08
-14.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$0.34 A$0.48
229.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$84.5 A$122
-14.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$2.18 A$3.14
-1.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.63 A$2.35
-3.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$35.53 A$51.1
-76.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$1.30 A$1.87
16.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$26.5K A$38.1K
-18.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$33.2K A$47.7K
4.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$88.9 A$128
8.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$30.63 A$44.07
17.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$53.4 A$76.8
0.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$58.9 A$84.8
21.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$19.11 A$27.49
82.68%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$6.93 A$9.97
13.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$512 A$737
-3.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$4,189 A$6,028
183.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$75.0 A$108
-28.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$55.2 A$79.4
0.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$103 A$148
-24.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$96.9 A$139
-17.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$1,361 A$1,959
-42.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$1,205 A$1,734
-34.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$2,138 A$3,077
84.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$1,778 A$2,558
-20.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$6,207 A$8,932
11.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$5,209 A$7,496
-76.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Redland City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.69
51.49%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Redland City: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Redland City
$1.2K 51.7% $411
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Redland City
$337 4.2% $15
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Redland City
$267 26% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Redland City
$173 6.9% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Redland City
$149 23.7% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Redland City
$73 16.7% $15
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Redland City
$96 10.5% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $1,361 in Redland City. 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 $63.0 in Redland City. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $337 in Redland City – so Redland City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇦🇺 Redland City
🕒 Local time
09:12 9:12 AM
01:12 1:12 AM
16 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
159,222
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Redland City 13,570 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Redland City

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 Redland City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Redland City compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $2,300 in Redland City – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Redland City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $3,450 in Redland City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Redland City?
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 Redland City?
Public transport costs about 16% 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 Redland City?
Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $512 in Redland City. 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 $1,839, than in Redland City at $2,300. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Redland City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Redland City?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $2,300 in Redland City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Redland City 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 Redland City?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Redland City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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