Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Saint Sampson

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,283 in Saint Sampson, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Saint Sampson outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Saint Sampson
🇬🇬 Guernsey
$2,283
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Saint Sampson

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $2,283 in Saint Sampson, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,837
  • Saint Sampson $2,283

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,674 in Saint Sampson, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,775
  • Saint Sampson $1,674

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,066 in Saint Sampson, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,712
  • Saint Sampson $1,066

Nosara is about 20% cheaper than Saint Sampson, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Saint Sampson sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Saint Sampson by 70%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₡5,509
$14.52 GGP 10.99
-15.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.1K
$78.4 GGP 59.3
-23.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₡3,399
$9.16 GGP 6.94
-17.69%
Cappuccino
$4.31 ₡1,941
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡773
$2.00 GGP 1.51
-14.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₡608
$1.29 GGP 0.97
4.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,459
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₡2,018
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡707
$1.63 GGP 1.24
-3.68%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,429
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
-
-
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,609
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,349
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.42 ₡4,697
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.66 ₡6,156
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 ₡1,044
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡728
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 ₡2,138
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 ₡747
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$3.72 ₡1,679
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$3.57 ₡1,611
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₡497
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 ₡1,149
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 ₡2,232
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$20.01 ₡9,020
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₡1,256
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₡1,589
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₡537
$1.63 GGP 1.23
-26.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₡1,011
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 ₡701
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₡3,993
$39.46 GGP 29.87
-77.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$2.22 GGP 1.68
-29.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₡9.8M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 ₡32.2K
$90.9 GGP 68.8
-21.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 ₡3,535
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡220.7K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₡35.7K
$84.5 GGP 64.0
-6.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$786 ₡354.3K
$1,958 GGP 1,482
-59.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 ₡351.6K
$1,957 GGP 1,482
-60.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Saint Sampson
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 ₡395.0K
$2,898 GGP 2,194
-69.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5
72.40%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Saint Sampson: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$780
Saint Sampson
–
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Saint Sampson
–
Eating Out
Nosara
$209
Saint Sampson
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$180
Saint Sampson
–
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Saint Sampson
–
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Saint Sampson
–
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Saint Sampson
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $1,958 in Saint Sampson. 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 231% higher in Saint Sampson, 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $78.0 in Saint Sampson. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $16.00 in Saint Sampson – so Saint Sampson wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇬 Saint Sampson
🕒 Local time
03:06 3:06 AM
10:06 10:06 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
8,966
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GGP, 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 = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 GGP (1 GGP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.849 GGP (1 GGP = 1.18 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Saint Sampson 8,670 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Saint Sampson

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 Sampson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Saint Sampson compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $2,283 in Saint Sampson – roughly 24% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Saint Sampson?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $3,424 in Saint Sampson. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Saint Sampson?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $78.0 in Saint Sampson. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Nosara or Saint Sampson?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $2,283 in Saint Sampson. That's a gap of about 24%.
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 $1,837, than in Saint Sampson at $2,283. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Sampson it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Saint Sampson?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,837 in Nosara to $2,283 in Saint Sampson. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Saint Sampson 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 Sampson?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Sampson makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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