Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Selfoss

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Selfoss

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $3,460 in Selfoss, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Selfoss $3,460

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $2,461 in Selfoss, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Selfoss $2,461

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,462 in Selfoss, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Selfoss $1,462

Nosara is about 47% cheaper than Selfoss, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Selfoss sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Selfoss by 158%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$20.81 ISK 2,536

-63.77%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$12.20 ISK 1,487

-73.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.79 ISK 219

-12.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$7.61 ISK 927

-58.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$4.46 ISK 544

-45.74%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$6.56 ISK 800

-45.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$17.24 ISK 2,101

-56.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$21.77 ISK 2,653

-52.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$33.50 ISK 4,082

-59.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$2.72 ISK 332

-14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$2.75 ISK 335

-41.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.65 ISK 323

78.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$7.51 ISK 915

-77.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$3.21 ISK 391

15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.18 ISK 266

63.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$3.60 ISK 438

-69.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.44 ISK 175

77.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$15.97 ISK 1,946

-69.00%

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

$1.17 ISK 143

201.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

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

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

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

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

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

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

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$2,820 ISK 343.6K

-72.35%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Selfoss

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Selfoss

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Selfoss

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Selfoss

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Selfoss

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Selfoss

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Selfoss

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

05:03 5:03 AM

6 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

9,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.32 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Selfoss 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Selfoss

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 Selfoss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $3,460 in Selfoss – roughly 88% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $5,190 in Selfoss. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $3,460 in Selfoss. That's a gap of about 88%.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Selfoss, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss 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 $1,837 in Nosara to $3,460 in Selfoss. 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, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.