Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Rethymno

For one person, living is cheaper in Rethymno: $1,345 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Rethymno
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Rethymno Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Rethymno

🇬🇷 Greece

$1,345

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Rethymno

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,345 in Rethymno, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Rethymno $1,345

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,021 in Rethymno, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Rethymno $2,021

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,697 in Rethymno, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Rethymno $2,697

Nosara costs about 37% more than Rethymno, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Rethymno sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Rethymno by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$12.58 €11.19

-1.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$55.6 €49.49

9.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$9.88 €8.79

-23.89%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.56 €3.17

23.88%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.65 €1.47

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.53 €0.47

147.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$4.43 €3.94

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$5.42 €4.82

-17.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.52 €1.35

2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.26 €1.12

139.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.17 €1.93

15.67%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$4.55 €4.04

-21.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$14.65 €13.03

-49.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$9.32 €8.29

12.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$15.06 €13.40

-7.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.04 €1.81

15.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.02 €1.79

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.22 €1.08

293.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.76 €1.57

-8.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.97 €0.86

291.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.95 €0.84

288.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.64 €0.57

76.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.72 €0.64

269.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$4.36 €3.88

18.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$6.58 €5.85

202.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.77 €1.57

63.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.89 €1.68

92.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.83 €1.63

-38.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$4.40 €3.91

-51.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.09 €0.97

44.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$11.32 €10.07

-24.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$2.25 €2.00

-32.44%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$22.4K €19.9K

-3.44%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$24.4K €21.7K

41.38%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$193 €171

-50.00%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$17.94 €15.96

100.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$30.38 €27.02

76.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$60.2 €53.6

18.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$8.50 €7.56

-7.18%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$364 €324

35.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$3,938 €3,503

201.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$89.6 €79.7

-39.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$11.17 €9.94

396.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$44.93 €39.96

73.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$43.80 €38.96

81.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$549 €489

43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$441 €392

80.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$908 €808

333.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$712 €633

99.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$4,079 €3,628

69.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,948 €2,622

-58.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,222 €1,087

-29.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.3

100.47%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Rethymno: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Rethymno

$441 32.8% 44.5% $353

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Rethymno

$268 20% 23.9% $84

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Rethymno

$215 16% 1.4% $2.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Rethymno

$241 17.9% 29.7% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Rethymno

$85 6.3% 29% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Rethymno

$77 5.7% 11.7% $10

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Rethymno

$17 * 1.3% 80.3% $70

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $549 in Rethymno. 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 42% higher in Rethymno, 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 $56.0 in Rethymno. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $268 – making Rethymno the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇬🇷 Rethymno

🕒 Local time

14:26 2:26 PM

23:26 11:26 PM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

35,763

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Rethymno 11,130 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Rethymno

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 Rethymno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,345 in Rethymno – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,017 in Rethymno. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rethymno, 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 $61.0 in Nosara and $56.0 in Rethymno. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rethymno, where all-in costs run around $1,345, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Rethymno 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 $1,345 in Rethymno 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 Rethymno. 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.