Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Turrialba Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Turrialba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,609 in Turrialba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,637 per month in Nosara vs $2,443 in Turrialba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,562 per month in Nosara vs $3,278 in Turrialba, rent included.

Nosara costs about 6% more than Turrialba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nosara and Turrialba sit above the global median – Nosara by 28%, Turrialba by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.04 ₡5,046

$10.96 ₡5,008

0.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 ₡27.6K

$59.3 ₡27.1K

1.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ₡3,240

$9.77 ₡4,463

-27.43%

Cappuccino

$3.89 ₡1,777

$3.76 ₡1,717

3.46%

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

$1.57 ₡719

$2.07 ₡945

-24.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₡533

$1.58 ₡723

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₡1,345

$2.99 ₡1,367

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 ₡2,150

$4.64 ₡2,119

1.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡671

$2.06 ₡940

-28.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 ₡1,286

$2.80 ₡1,281

0.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,026

$2.17 ₡990

3.69%

Eggs

$2.94 ₡1,345

$2.98 ₡1,362

-1.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 ₡3,099

$10.18 ₡4,653

-33.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 ₡4,126

$9.31 ₡4,252

-3.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.62 ₡6,223

$13.49 ₡6,165

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₡935

$4.53 ₡2,071

-54.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡668

$1.44 ₡659

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 ₡1,908

$4.36 ₡1,994

-4.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ₡691

$3.52 ₡1,607

-57.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₡1,573

$3.45 ₡1,575

-0.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,457

$3.21 ₡1,467

-0.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡437

$0.97 ₡444

-1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,104

$2.90 ₡1,325

-16.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ₡2,107

$5.21 ₡2,380

-11.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 ₡9,601

$21.69 ₡9,911

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,100

$2.41 ₡1,102

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,301

$2.85 ₡1,303

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡438

$1.02 ₡465

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡822

$1.88 ₡857

-4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡845

$1.85 ₡846

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 ₡3,550

$8.03 ₡3,670

-3.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₡585

$1.47 ₡672

-12.93%

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

$32.4K ₡14.8M

$37.6K ₡17.2M

-13.82%

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

$32.2K ₡14.7M

$32.1K ₡14.7M

0.46%

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

$95.5 ₡43.6K

0.01%

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

$26.09 ₡11.9K

$25.47 ₡11.6K

2.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 ₡21.7K

$59.2 ₡27.0K

-19.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.4K

$55.7 ₡25.5K

3.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.56 ₡10.8K

$23.89 ₡10.9K

-1.38%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 ₡4,651

$10.24 ₡4,679

-0.59%

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

$442 ₡202.1K

$568 ₡259.6K

-22.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$12.9K ₡5.9M

-18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₡23.1K

$62.2 ₡28.4K

-18.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 ₡23.5K

$52.4 ₡23.9K

-1.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₡33.0K

$124 ₡56.8K

-41.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ₡32.1K

$110 ₡50.0K

-35.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡352.0K

$770 ₡351.7K

0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₡334.8K

$593 ₡270.7K

23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 ₡685.6K

$1,498 ₡684.3K

0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 ₡589.4K

$945 ₡431.6K

36.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,047 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡563.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡409.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $770 in Nosara versus $770 in Turrialba. 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $59.0 in Turrialba. Groceries tell a different story – $323 in Nosara vs $370 in Turrialba – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Turrialba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,712 in Nosara, $1,609 in Turrialba – roughly 6% apart. Nosara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,568 per month in Nosara and $2,413 in Turrialba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $59.0 in Turrialba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Turrialba, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Nosara at $1,712. In Turrialba 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 $1,609 in Turrialba to $1,712 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 Turrialba. 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.