Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Tagaytay

For one person, living is cheaper in Tagaytay: $710 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Tagaytay
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Tagaytay Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Tagaytay

🇵🇭 Philippines

$710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Tagaytay

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $710 in Tagaytay, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Tagaytay $710

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,066 in Tagaytay, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Tagaytay $1,066

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,422 in Tagaytay, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Tagaytay $1,422

Nosara costs about 159% more than Tagaytay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Tagaytay is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$1.94 ₱122

536.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$10.95 ₱689

458.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$3.16 ₱199

137.97%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$1.44 ₱90.9

206.25%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.36 ₱22.36

383.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.38 ₱24.04

244.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$2.55 ₱161

28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$1.94 ₱122

130.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.48 ₱93.4

5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.23 ₱77.6

145.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$0.99 ₱62.1

153.54%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.12 ₱133

68.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$6.29 ₱396

18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$4.14 ₱260

154.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$7.93 ₱499

76.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.46 ₱155

-4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.46 ₱92.2

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.67 ₱168

79.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.12 ₱70.8

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.21 ₱139

71.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.88 ₱119

96.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.85 ₱53.4

32.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.62 ₱39.30

329.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.25 ₱205

59.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$7.83 ₱493

153.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$0.95 ₱60.1

205.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.88 ₱118

93.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.27 ₱17.24

314.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$11.03 ₱694

558.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$0.71 ₱44.74

201.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.22 ₱14.14

613.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$2.07 ₱130

311.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.05 ₱66.4

44.76%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$23.6K ₱1.5M

-8.43%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$20.1K ₱1.3M

71.52%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$119 ₱7,510

-19.28%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$13.97 ₱880

156.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$24.13 ₱1,519

122.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$33.09 ₱2,084

116.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$4.55 ₱286

667.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$5.06 ₱319

55.93%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$139 ₱8,780

254.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$7,085 ₱446.1K

67.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$32.82 ₱2,066

64.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$20.72 ₱1,305

167.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$68.8 ₱4,333

13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$52.9 ₱3,328

50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$271 ₱17.1K

190.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$169 ₱10.6K

370.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$511 ₱32.2K

671.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$349 ₱22.0K

306.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,563 ₱161.4K

169.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$967 ₱60.9K

26.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.79

26.95%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tagaytay: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Tagaytay

$169 23.8% 78.7% $625

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Tagaytay

$186 26.2% 47.3% $166

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Tagaytay

$62 8.7% 70.8% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Tagaytay

$157 22.2% 15.3% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Tagaytay

$79 11.1% 34.3% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Tagaytay

$43 6.1% 50.5% $44

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Tagaytay

$14 2% 84% $73

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $271 in Tagaytay. 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 $11.00 in Tagaytay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $186 – making Tagaytay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇵🇭 Tagaytay

🕒 Local time

17:15 5:15 PM

07:15 7:15 AM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

85,330

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Tagaytay 16,040 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Tagaytay

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 Tagaytay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $710 in Tagaytay – roughly 159% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,065 in Tagaytay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagaytay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 559% less in Tagaytay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $139 in Tagaytay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tagaytay, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Tagaytay 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 $710 in Tagaytay to $1,839 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 Tagaytay. 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.