Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Zamboanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Zamboanga: $748 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 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
36

Cost of Living Index in Zamboanga
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Zamboanga Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Zamboanga

🇵🇭 Philippines

$748

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Zamboanga

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

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $748 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Zamboanga $748

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $1,123 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Zamboanga $1,123

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $1,497 in Zamboanga, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Zamboanga $1,497

Nosara costs about 145% more than Zamboanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 35% above the global median, while Zamboanga is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$1.33 ₱83.5

827.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$16.41 ₱1,033

273.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$3.50 ₱220

121.71%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$2.09 ₱132

112.44%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$0.86 ₱54.0

108.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$0.40 ₱24.88

222.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$1.44 ₱90.8

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$2.05 ₱129

116.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.75 ₱110

-11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$1.41 ₱89.0

118.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$1.16 ₱73.0

118.10%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$1.46 ₱91.7

136.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$10.01 ₱630

-26.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$4.05 ₱255

152.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$3.33 ₱209

323.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$3.17 ₱200

-27.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.18 ₱74.1

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$3.82 ₱241

25.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$1.16 ₱73.1

41.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$1.26 ₱79.6

205.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$2.56 ₱161

46.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$0.86 ₱54.4

26.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$0.51 ₱32.39

407.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$2.74 ₱172

86.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$4.23 ₱266

370.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.30 ₱82.1

115.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$1.97 ₱124

78.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$0.22 ₱13.88

454.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$11.19 ₱704

560.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$0.82 ₱51.9

164.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$0.23 ₱14.50

578.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$1.88 ₱118

361.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.02 ₱64.4

51.96%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$21.7K ₱1.4M

58.93%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$19.4K ₱1.2M

99.39%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$124 ₱7,826

-23.72%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$15.48 ₱975

133.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$47.25 ₱2,975

12.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$35.74 ₱2,250

106.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$4.67 ₱294

662.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$5.07 ₱319

56.02%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$133 ₱8,372

268.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$8,082 ₱508.9K

47.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$32.93 ₱2,073

66.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$19.29 ₱1,215

189.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$70.8 ₱4,457

13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$55.7 ₱3,505

39.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$266 ₱16.8K

200.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$175 ₱11.0K

351.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$332 ₱20.9K

1105.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$360 ₱22.6K

291.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$2,366 ₱149.0K

198.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$998 ₱62.9K

23.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$193 ₱12.2K

358.60%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Zamboanga

$175 23.3% 77.9% $615

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Zamboanga

$184 24.6% 47.4% $166

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Zamboanga

$62 8.4% 70.6% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Zamboanga

$187 25% 1.6% $3

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Zamboanga

$80 10.7% 33.6% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Zamboanga

$46 6.1% 48.8% $44

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Zamboanga

$14 1.9% 84.2% $75

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $266 in Zamboanga. 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 359% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $16.00 in Zamboanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $184 – making Zamboanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇵🇭 Zamboanga

🕒 Local time

11:55 11:55 AM

01:55 1:55 AM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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 Zamboanga 16,420 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Zamboanga

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 Zamboanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,835 in Nosara, $748 in Zamboanga – roughly 145% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $1,123 in Zamboanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 560% less in Zamboanga. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $133 in Zamboanga. 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 Zamboanga, where all-in costs run around $748, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Zamboanga 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 $748 in Zamboanga to $1,835 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 Zamboanga. 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.