Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Yap

For one person, living costs are similar in Nosara and in Yap: $1,837 and $1,895 a month, rent and utilities included.

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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

Yap

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,895

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Yap

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,895 in Yap, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Yap $1,895

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $2,509 in Yap, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Yap $2,509

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $3,123 in Yap, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Yap $3,123

Nosara is about 3% cheaper than Yap, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Yap sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Yap by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$30.38 $30.38

-59.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$60.5 $60.5

-0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$4.41 $4.41

-2.27%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$1.78 $1.78

-3.37%

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

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$5.85 $5.85

-45.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$4.53 $4.53

-46.58%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$5.12 $5.12

45.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$6.05 $6.05

125.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$4.29 $4.29

-45.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$4.49 $4.49

-64.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$4.38 $4.38

8.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$4.37 $4.37

-62.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$5.30 $5.30

-29.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$1.63 $1.63

119.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.52 $1.52

67.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$3.81 $3.81

-26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$2.99 $2.99

18.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.98 $0.98

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$21.86 $21.86

229.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$7.46 $7.46

-69.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$5.12 $5.12

73.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.55 $1.55

1.29%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$3,992 $3,992

446.11%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$3,976 $3,976

771.13%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$79.8 $79.8

17.16%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$79.9 $79.9

-35.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$24.41 $24.41

119.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$76.0 $76.0

-26.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$81.0 $81.0

-2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$119 $119

-33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$987 $987

-20.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$994 $994

-21.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$1,018 $1,018

278.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$995 $995

41.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$1,490 $1,490

367.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$995 $995

20.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$262 $262

234.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

400000

-100.00%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Yap: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Yap

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Yap

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Yap

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Yap

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Yap

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Yap

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Yap

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $987 in Yap. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 234% higher in Nosara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $60.0 in Yap. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $260 in Yap – so Yap wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇫🇲 Yap

🕒 Local time

19:53 7:53 PM

11:53 11:53 AM

16 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

11,577

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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 = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Yap 14,700 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Yap

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 Yap: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $1,895 in Yap – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $2,843 in Yap. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 230% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Yap – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Yap at $1,895. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yap 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 $1,837 in Nosara to $1,895 in Yap. 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yap makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.