Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Saint George's

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint George's: $1,625 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Saint George's
🇬🇩 Grenada
$1,625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Saint George's

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,625 in Saint George's, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,837
  • Saint George's $1,625

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $2,647 in Saint George's, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,775
  • Saint George's $2,647

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $3,669 in Saint George's, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,712
  • Saint George's $3,669

Nosara costs about 13% more than Saint George's, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Saint George's sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Saint George's by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₡5,509
$7.52 EC$20.30
62.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.1K
$137 EC$370
-56.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₡3,399
$8.52 EC$23.00
-11.50%
Cappuccino
$4.31 ₡1,941
$4.35 EC$11.75
-0.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡773
$1.90 EC$5.13
-9.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₡608
$1.95 EC$5.28
-30.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,459
$2.80 EC$7.55
15.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₡2,018
$3.61 EC$9.74
24.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡707
$4.01 EC$10.83
-60.85%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,429
$2.40 EC$6.47
32.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
$1.80 EC$4.85
34.44%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,609
$4.38 EC$11.82
-18.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,349
$14.11 EC$38.09
-47.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.42 ₡4,697
$9.23 EC$24.93
12.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.66 ₡6,156
$13.65 EC$36.87
0.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 ₡1,044
$13.37 EC$36.11
-82.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡728
$2.51 EC$6.77
-35.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 ₡2,138
$1.61 EC$4.35
194.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 ₡747
$5.80 EC$15.66
-71.38%
Potato (1kg)
$3.72 ₡1,679
$2.79 EC$7.53
33.33%
Onion (1kg)
$3.57 ₡1,611
$3.59 EC$9.68
-0.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₡497
$1.13 EC$3.06
-2.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 ₡1,149
$2.00 EC$5.41
27.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 ₡2,232
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$20.01 ₡9,020
$15.42 EC$41.63
29.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₡1,256
$2.18 EC$5.88
27.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₡1,589
$2.48 EC$6.69
42.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₡537
$0.97 EC$2.63
22.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.1 ₡32.5K
$63.6 EC$172
13.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₡1,011
$30.16 EC$81.4
-92.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 ₡701
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₡3,993
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$1.36 EC$3.68
15.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₡9.8M
$25.5K EC$68.7K
-14.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
$31.8K EC$85.9K
8.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.1K
$250 EC$674
-62.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.11 ₡15.8K
$20.09 EC$54.2
74.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 ₡23.2K
$50.9 EC$137
1.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 ₡32.2K
$37.30 EC$101
91.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.44 ₡16.0K
$18.19 EC$49.12
94.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 ₡3,535
$11.04 EC$29.81
-28.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡220.7K
$54.8 EC$148
793.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.4M
$3,394 EC$9,163
250.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₡24.1K
$35.12 EC$94.8
52.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.1K
$44.63 EC$120
24.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₡35.7K
$50.6 EC$136
56.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 ₡35.6K
$86.2 EC$233
-8.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$786 ₡354.3K
$1,153 EC$3,113
-31.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 ₡351.6K
$437 EC$1,179
78.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,860 ₡1.7M
$2,068 EC$5,584
86.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 ₡634.4K
$690 EC$1,864
103.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,972 ₡3.1M
$4,297 EC$11.6K
62.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 ₡541.3K
$113.2K EC$305.6K
-98.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Saint George's
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 ₡395.0K
$925 EC$2,496
-5.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
7
23.14%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Saint George's: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$780
Saint George's
$437 44% $343
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Saint George's
$426 22% $77
Eating Out
Nosara
$209
Saint George's
$175 16.7% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$180
Saint George's
$321 78.1% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Saint George's
$97 19.1% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Saint George's
$59 31.8% $28
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Saint George's
$98 * 12.5% $11

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $1,153 in Saint George's. 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 6% higher in Saint George's, 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $137 in Saint George's. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $426 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇩 Saint George's
🕒 Local time
07:45 7:45 AM
09:45 9:45 AM
2 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
7,500 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.331 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Saint George's 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Saint George's

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 Saint George's: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Saint George's compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $1,625 in Saint George's – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Saint George's?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $2,437 in Saint George's. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Saint George's?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint George's, 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 Saint George's?
Public transport costs about 13% less in Saint George's. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Saint George's?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $54.8 in Saint George's. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint George's, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Saint George's it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Saint George's?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,625 in Saint George's to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Saint George's 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 Saint George's?
If budget matters most, go with Saint George's. 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.

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