Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and San Sebastian

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $1,948 in San Sebastian, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in San Sebastian outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in San Sebastian
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San Sebastian Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

San Sebastian

🇪🇸 Spain

$1,948

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in San Sebastian

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,948 in San Sebastian, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
San Sebastian $1,948

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,889 in San Sebastian, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
San Sebastian $2,889

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,830 in San Sebastian, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
San Sebastian $3,830

Nosara is about 6% cheaper than San Sebastian, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and San Sebastian sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, San Sebastian by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$16.76 €14.90

-26.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$60.6 €53.9

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$10.58 €9.41

-28.92%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.08 €1.85

112.02%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.87 €2.55

-39.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.62 €1.44

-19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.44 €3.06

-4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$3.62 €3.22

23.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.13 €1.01

38.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.06 €0.94

184.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.75 €1.56

43.43%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.72 €3.31

-4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$22.34 €19.87

-66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$8.17 €7.27

28.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$21.10 €18.77

-33.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.51 €2.24

-6.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.36 €2.10

-31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$3.34 €2.97

43.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$2.90 €2.58

-44.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.06 €1.83

84.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.98 €1.76

86.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.18 €1.05

-4.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.61 €0.54

336.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$6.07 €5.40

-14.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$7.39 €6.58

169.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.08 €0.96

168.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.83 €1.63

98.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.11 €1.88

-46.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$33.85 €30.11

114.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$6.57 €5.85

-67.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.91 €0.81

72.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$22.70 €20.19

-62.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.70 €1.51

-10.59%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$36.2K €32.2K

-40.29%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$28.7K €25.5K

20.23%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$136 €121

-29.40%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$20.40 €18.15

75.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$35.36 €31.45

51.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$42.41 €37.73

68.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$19.95 €17.75

74.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$8.44 €7.50

-6.52%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$453 €403

9.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$13.7K €12.2K

-13.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$72.5 €64.5

-25.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$31.46 €27.99

76.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$74.7 €66.5

4.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$134 €119

-40.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$1,407 €1,252

-44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$954 €849

-16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,239 €1,992

75.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,522 €1,354

-6.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$9,603 €8,541

-28.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$4,748 €4,223

-74.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$3,027 €2,693

-71.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

2.92

195.21%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for San Sebastian: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

San Sebastian

$954 49% 20.1% $160

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

San Sebastian

$316 16.2% 10.4% $37

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

San Sebastian

$233 12% 10.1% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

San Sebastian

$192 9.9% 3.4% $6.4

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

San Sebastian

$141 7.2% 17.1% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

San Sebastian

$59 3% 32.2% $28

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

San Sebastian

$53 2.7% 38.7% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $1,407 in San Sebastian. 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 251% higher in San Sebastian, 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 $61.0 in San Sebastian. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $316 in San Sebastian – so San Sebastian wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇪🇸 San Sebastian

🕒 Local time

12:39 12:39 PM

20:39 8:39 PM

8 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

188,743

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara San Sebastian 8,740 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
San Sebastian

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 San Sebastian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,948 in San Sebastian – roughly 6% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,922 in San Sebastian. 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 115% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $453 in San Sebastian. 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 San Sebastian at $1,948. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Sebastian 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 $1,948 in San Sebastian. 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, San Sebastian makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.