Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Upala Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Upala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,668 per month in Nosara vs $1,301 in Upala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,595 per month in Nosara vs $1,990 in Upala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,522 per month in Nosara vs $2,679 in Upala, rent included.

Nosara costs about 28% more than Upala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nosara sits 25% above the global median, while Upala is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.08 ₡5,037

$11.09 ₡5,044

-0.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 ₡26.7K

$49.92 ₡22.7K

17.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 ₡3,146

$9.81 ₡4,462

-29.46%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₡1,776

$3.40 ₡1,545

15.00%

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

$1.62 ₡736

$1.56 ₡709

3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₡554

$1.55 ₡706

-21.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ₡1,350

$3.04 ₡1,384

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 ₡2,060

$4.62 ₡2,100

-1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡663

$2.02 ₡920

-27.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 ₡1,253

$1.53 ₡696

80.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ₡970

$2.22 ₡1,010

-4.05%

Eggs

$2.87 ₡1,307

$2.43 ₡1,105

18.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 ₡3,100

$2.94 ₡1,338

131.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.97 ₡4,080

$6.08 ₡2,765

47.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ₡6,152

$8.13 ₡3,695

66.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ₡968

$1.58 ₡717

34.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₡639

$0.62 ₡283

125.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,988

$2.52 ₡1,148

73.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ₡696

$2.34 ₡1,063

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ₡1,542

$3.42 ₡1,554

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 ₡1,455

$2.35 ₡1,069

36.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₡457

$1.01 ₡461

-0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₡1,051

$2.42 ₡1,101

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 ₡2,118

$5.24 ₡2,384

-11.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.81 ₡9,462

$8.72 ₡3,967

138.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,095

$2.40 ₡1,092

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₡1,287

$2.95 ₡1,341

-4.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₡435

$1.02 ₡464

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₡30.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡841

$1.81 ₡822

2.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡839

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 ₡3,578

$6.06 ₡2,757

29.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₡585

$1.29 ₡589

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

$32.7K ₡14.9M

$38.5K ₡17.5M

-15.16%

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

$32.7K ₡14.9M

$32.4K ₡14.7M

1.01%

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

$95.3 ₡43.3K

$51.7 ₡23.5K

84.24%

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

$25.39 ₡11.5K

$26.32 ₡12.0K

-3.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.17 ₡21.9K

$19.86 ₡9,032

142.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 ₡25.6K

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-2.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.52 ₡10.7K

$23.81 ₡10.8K

-1.22%

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 ₡4,633

$10.06 ₡4,575

1.29%

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

$458 ₡208.1K

$578 ₡262.8K

-20.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₡4.8M

$12.5K ₡5.7M

-15.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 ₡23.0K

$29.81 ₡13.6K

69.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 ₡23.5K

$19.84 ₡9,020

160.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 ₡32.7K

$128 ₡58.1K

-43.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 ₡32.9K

$30.04 ₡13.7K

141.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 ₡349.7K

$765 ₡347.9K

0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 ₡337.0K

$598 ₡272.0K

23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 ₡704.1K

$1,519 ₡690.7K

1.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 ₡609.8K

$956 ₡434.7K

40.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,153 ₡3.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡546.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$869 ₡395.4K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Upala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Nosara versus $765 in Upala. 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 $59.0 in Nosara versus $50.0 in Upala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $235 – making Upala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Upala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,668 in Nosara, $1,301 in Upala – roughly 28% apart. Nosara costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,502 per month in Nosara and $1,951 in Upala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upala, 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 $59.0 in Nosara and $50.0 in Upala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Upala, where all-in costs run around $1,301, than in Nosara at $1,668. In Upala 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 $1,301 in Upala to $1,668 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 Upala. 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.