Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Springsure

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,526 in Springsure, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Springsure
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,526
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Springsure

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $2,526 in Springsure, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Springsure $2,526

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $3,530 in Springsure, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Springsure $3,530

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $4,534 in Springsure, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Springsure $4,534

Nosara is about 27% cheaper than Springsure, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Springsure sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Springsure by 87%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,556
$18.94 A$27.13
-34.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.5K
$90.8 A$130
-32.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,383
$11.29 A$16.17
-33.39%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,984
$4.49 A$6.44
-1.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡782
$2.70 A$3.87
-35.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡589
$2.22 A$3.18
-40.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,475
$6.86 A$9.82
-52.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,010
$7.06 A$10.11
-36.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡703
$1.69 A$2.43
-7.69%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,359
$2.93 A$4.20
3.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,129
$2.37 A$3.40
5.91%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,608
$5.15 A$7.37
-30.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,344
$10.37 A$14.86
-28.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,732
$10.18 A$14.59
3.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,284
$12.90 A$18.47
8.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,055
$3.52 A$5.04
-33.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡722
$3.15 A$4.52
-48.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,159
$3.15 A$4.52
52.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡726
$3.98 A$5.70
-59.55%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,708
$2.89 A$4.13
31.49%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,662
$2.42 A$3.47
52.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡508
$2.36 A$3.38
-52.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,195
$1.31 A$1.87
103.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,328
$37.49 A$53.7
-86.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,944
$15.46 A$22.15
28.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,304
$5.36 A$7.67
-45.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,631
$5.29 A$7.57
-31.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡506
$2.66 A$3.81
-57.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.7K
$74.0 A$106
-1.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡961
$3.62 A$5.18
-40.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡706
$1.52 A$2.17
3.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,835
$42.27 A$60.6
-79.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡684
$1.20 A$1.72
26.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$26.8K A$38.4K
-19.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$28.6K A$41.0K
20.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.3K
$217 A$310
-55.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$30.05 A$43.04
19.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.1K
$57.6 A$82.6
-7.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.2K
$56.9 A$81.5
25.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$14.99 A$21.47
132.89%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,550
$15.66 A$22.44
-49.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡222.3K
$2,423 A$3,472
-79.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$18.0K A$25.8K
-34.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.3K
$78.0 A$112
-30.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.9K
$46.62 A$66.8
18.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡35.1K
$118 A$169
-33.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.8K
$105 A$151
-24.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡354.5K
$1,379 A$1,976
-42.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡357.3K
$1,201 A$1,720
-33.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$1,837 A$2,632
114.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡638.4K
$1,551 A$2,222
-8.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$5,399 A$7,734
28.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡550.7K
$5,419 A$7,762
-77.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Springsure
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡388.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.84
47.60%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Springsure: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Springsure
$1.2K 51.1% $406
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Springsure
$373 5.9% $21
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Springsure
$307 45.1% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Springsure
$304 63.8% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Springsure
$156 30.3% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Springsure
$88 0.9% $0.8
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Springsure
$96 9.9% $8.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $1,379 in Springsure. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $91.0 in Springsure. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $373 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇦🇺 Springsure
🕒 Local time
17:23 5:23 PM
09:23 9:23 AM
16 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
1,115
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.624 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Springsure 14,130 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Springsure

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 Springsure: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Springsure compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $2,526 in Springsure – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Springsure?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $3,788 in Springsure. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Springsure?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Springsure?
Public transport costs about 2% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Springsure?
Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $2,423 in Springsure. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
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 $1,839, than in Springsure at $2,526. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Springsure it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Springsure?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $2,526 in Springsure. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Springsure 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 Springsure?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Springsure makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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