Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Split

For one person, living costs are similar in Nosara and in Split: $1,837 and $1,819 a month, rent and utilities included.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Split
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,819
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Split

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,819 in Split, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,837
  • Split $1,819

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $2,815 in Split, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,775
  • Split $2,815

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $3,810 in Split, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,712
  • Split $3,810

Nosara costs about 1% more than Split, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Split sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Split by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Split
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₡5,509
$16.92 €15.10
-27.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.1K
$74.3 €66.3
-18.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₡3,399
$11.40 €10.17
-33.86%
Cappuccino
$4.31 ₡1,941
$2.86 €2.55
50.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡773
$4.11 €3.67
-58.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₡608
$2.95 €2.63
-54.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,459
$4.75 €4.24
-31.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₡2,018
$4.91 €4.38
-8.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Split
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡707
$1.32 €1.18
18.94%
White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,429
$2.16 €1.93
46.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
$3.69 €3.29
-34.42%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,609
$4.21 €3.75
-15.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,349
$13.85 €12.36
-46.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.42 ₡4,697
$9.54 €8.52
9.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.66 ₡6,156
$13.20 €11.78
3.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 ₡1,044
$2.20 €1.96
5.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡728
$1.82 €1.62
-11.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 ₡2,138
$1.91 €1.70
148.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 ₡747
$2.80 €2.50
-40.71%
Potato (1kg)
$3.72 ₡1,679
$1.52 €1.35
144.74%
Onion (1kg)
$3.57 ₡1,611
$1.18 €1.05
202.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₡497
$1.35 €1.20
-18.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 ₡1,149
$1.21 €1.08
110.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 ₡2,232
$5.63 €5.02
-12.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.01 ₡9,020
$8.93 €7.97
124.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₡1,256
$1.72 €1.54
62.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₡1,589
$2.24 €2.00
57.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Split
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₡537
$1.70 €1.52
-30.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.1 ₡32.5K
$39.64 €35.38
81.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₡1,011
$3.76 €3.36
-40.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 ₡701
$2.14 €1.91
-27.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₡3,993
$29.30 €26.15
-69.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$1.89 €1.69
-16.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₡9.8M
$28.3K €25.3K
-22.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
$24.5K €21.9K
41.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Split
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.1K
$207 €185
-54.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.11 ₡15.8K
$20.38 €18.19
72.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 ₡23.2K
$42.24 €37.69
21.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Split
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 ₡32.2K
$60.9 €54.3
17.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.44 ₡16.0K
$13.12 €11.70
170.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.84 ₡3,535
$9.22 €8.23
-14.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Split
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡220.7K
$622 €555
-21.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.4M
$11.6K €10.4K
2.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Split
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₡24.1K
$93.6 €83.5
-42.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.1K
$40.70 €36.32
37.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₡35.7K
$115 €102
-30.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 ₡35.6K
$98.7 €88.1
-20.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Split
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$786 ₡354.3K
$1,008 €900
-22.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 ₡351.6K
$727 €649
7.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,860 ₡1.7M
$1,921 €1,715
100.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 ₡634.4K
$1,309 €1,168
7.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,972 ₡3.1M
$7,330 €6,541
-4.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 ₡541.3K
$5,057 €4,512
-76.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Split
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 ₡395.0K
$1,601 €1,429
-45.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.44
150.58%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Split: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$780
Split
$727 6.7% $53
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Split
$297 15.1% $53
Eating Out
Nosara
$209
Split
$266 26.9% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$180
Split
$269 49.7% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Split
$156 30% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Split
$79 8.9% $7.8
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Split
$61 29.9% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $1,008 in Split. 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 83% higher in Split, 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 $74.0 in Split. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $297 in Split – so Split wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇭🇷 Split
🕒 Local time
20:20 8:20 PM
04:20 4:20 AM
8 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
149,830
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Split 10,200 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Split

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 Split: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Split compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $1,819 in Split – roughly 1% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Split?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $2,729 in Split. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Split?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Split, 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 Split?
Public transport costs about 82% less in Split. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Split?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $622 in Split. 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 Split, where all-in costs run around $1,819, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Split 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 Split?
It depends on your priorities. Split has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,819 in Split to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Split 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 Split?
If budget matters most, go with Split. 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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