Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Saint John, New Brunswick

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $1,934 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 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
95

Cost of Living Index in Saint John, New Brunswick
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Saint John, New Brunswick Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Saint John, New Brunswick

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,934

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Saint John, New Brunswick

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 John, New Brunswick actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,934 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Saint John, New Brunswick $1,934

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,885 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Saint John, New Brunswick $2,885

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,836 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Saint John, New Brunswick $3,836

Nosara is about 5% cheaper than Saint John, New Brunswick, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Saint John, New Brunswick sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Saint John, New Brunswick by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$18.31 CA$25.89

-32.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$59.0 CA$83.5

3.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$10.43 CA$14.75

-27.90%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.00 CA$4.25

47.00%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.69 CA$2.39

2.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.06 CA$1.50

23.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$4.43 CA$6.26

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$5.01 CA$7.08

-10.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.17 CA$3.07

-28.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$2.67 CA$3.77

13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.12 CA$4.41

-19.55%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.45 CA$4.88

3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$13.17 CA$18.61

-43.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$11.72 CA$16.56

-10.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$12.78 CA$18.06

9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$4.79 CA$6.77

-50.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.47 CA$2.08

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$4.18 CA$5.91

14.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$3.90 CA$5.51

-58.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.00 CA$2.83

90.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.20 CA$3.11

67.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.47 CA$3.49

-54.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.41 CA$1.99

88.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$13.92 CA$19.67

-62.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$9.90 CA$13.99

100.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.79 CA$2.53

62.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.12 CA$3.00

71.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.06 CA$2.92

-45.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$56.0 CA$79.2

29.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.92 CA$4.13

-26.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.06 CA$1.50

48.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$17.34 CA$24.52

-50.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.25 CA$1.76

21.60%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$24.3K CA$34.4K

-11.19%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$18.8K CA$26.6K

83.63%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$120 CA$169

-19.42%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$41.55 CA$58.7

-13.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$64.7 CA$91.4

-17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$52.3 CA$73.9

36.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$35.03 CA$49.52

-0.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$12.78 CA$18.07

-38.26%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$378 CA$534

30.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$11.1K CA$15.7K

6.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$48.34 CA$68.3

11.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$35.16 CA$49.71

57.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$103 CA$145

-24.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$106 CA$150

-24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$990 CA$1,400

-20.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$819 CA$1,158

-3.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,610 CA$2,277

144.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,304 CA$1,843

8.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,018 CA$2,854

242.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,093 CA$2,959

-41.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$2,402 CA$3,396

-64.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.69

83.80%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$819 42.4% 3.1% $25

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$350 18.1% 0.6% $2

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$257 13.3% 21.3% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$226 11.7% 21.5% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$131 6.8% 9.5% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$78 4% 10.9% $9.5

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Saint John, New Brunswick

$73 3.8% 16.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $990 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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 178% higher in Saint John, New Brunswick, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $59.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $350 – making Saint John, New Brunswick the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇦 Saint John, New Brunswick

🕒 Local time

14:28 2:28 PM

17:28 5:28 PM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

70,063

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Saint John, New Brunswick 4,350 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Saint John, New Brunswick

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 John, New Brunswick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,934 in Saint John, New Brunswick – roughly 5% 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 $2,901 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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 30% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $378 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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 Saint John, New Brunswick at $1,934. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 $1,934 in Saint John, New Brunswick. 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, Saint John, New Brunswick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.