Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Sumba

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumba: $213 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Sumba

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

$213

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Sumba

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $213 in Sumba, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Sumba $213

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $285 in Sumba, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Sumba $285

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $357 in Sumba, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Sumba $357

Nosara costs about 764% more than Sumba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Sumba is 84% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

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

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

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$2.32 FOK 15.52

-32.33%

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

$10.63 FOK 71.0

-53.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$12.06 FOK 80.6

65.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.26 FOK 15.13

23.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.84 FOK 12.31

91.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$4.51 FOK 30.10

-73.61%

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

$1.92 FOK 12.86

-18.23%

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

$61.9 FOK 414

-16.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$37.94 FOK 253

88.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$15.51 FOK 104

-49.45%

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

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 Sumba: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Sumba

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Sumba

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Sumba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Sumba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sumba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Sumba

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Sumba

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇫🇴 Sumba

🕒 Local time

04:04 4:04 AM

11:04 11:04 AM

7 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

300

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Faroese Króna FOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 FOK = 0.15 USD

1 FOK = 0.134 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FOK, 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 = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Faroese Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 FOK (1 FOK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 FOK (1 FOK = 0.134 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Sumba 8,450 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Sumba

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 Sumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $213 in Sumba – roughly 764% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $319 in Sumba. 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 $213 in Sumba. That's a gap of about 764%.

Groceries cost about 461% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sumba, where all-in costs run around $213, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Sumba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara 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 $213 in Sumba to $1,837 in Nosara. 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 Sumba. 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.