Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oldham and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $1,986 in Oldham, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Oldham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$1,986
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oldham and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Oldham and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,986 per month in Oldham vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Oldham $1,986
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,900 per month in Oldham vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Oldham $2,900
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,813 per month in Oldham vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Oldham $3,813
  • Nosara $3,818

Oldham costs about 8% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Oldham and Nosara sit above the global median – Oldham by 47%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.72 £14.79
$12.35 ₡5,539
59.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.4 £63.3
$61.2 ₡27.4K
38.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.10 £6.83
$7.52 ₡3,373
21.01%
Cappuccino
$4.66 £3.50
$4.41 ₡1,978
5.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 £2.17
$1.74 ₡780
66.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 £1.51
$1.31 ₡587
54.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.38 £5.54
$3.28 ₡1,471
125.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.67 £5.00
$4.47 ₡2,004
49.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 £1.12
$1.56 ₡701
-4.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 £1.25
$3.02 ₡1,355
-44.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 £2.10
$2.51 ₡1,125
11.55%
Eggs
$4.01 £3.01
$3.57 ₡1,603
12.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.43 £7.07
$7.43 ₡3,333
26.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.69 £6.52
$10.52 ₡4,717
-17.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.25 £11.44
$13.97 ₡6,265
9.16%
Apples (1kg)
$3.00 £2.25
$2.35 ₡1,052
27.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 £1.42
$1.61 ₡720
17.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.81 £2.11
$4.80 ₡2,152
-41.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.34 £2.50
$1.61 ₡724
107.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 £1.17
$3.80 ₡1,703
-58.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.65 £1.24
$3.69 ₡1,657
-55.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 £0.90
$1.13 ₡507
6.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 £0.95
$2.66 ₡1,191
-52.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.79 £17.85
$5.18 ₡2,321
359.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.40 £7.80
$19.88 ₡8,916
-47.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 £2.10
$2.90 ₡1,300
-3.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 £2.39
$3.63 ₡1,626
-12.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.71 £2.03
$1.12 ₡504
141.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.4 £73.1
$72.6 ₡32.6K
34.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 £2.41
$2.14 ₡958
50.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.01 £1.51
$1.57 ₡703
28.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.29 £22.72
$8.52 ₡3,823
255.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 £1.52
$1.52 ₡682
33.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.1K £28.6K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
76.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.7K £30.5K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
17.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 £189
$96.3 ₡43.2K
161.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.60 £12.45
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-53.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.12 £30.10
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-25.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.39 £32.55
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-39.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.37 £10.03
$7.89 ₡3,539
69.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,254 £941
$494 ₡221.6K
153.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.8K £14.8K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
66.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1 £66.8
$53.9 ₡24.2K
65.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.61 £31.96
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-23.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.2 £69.9
$77.9 ₡34.9K
19.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.0 £65.3
$79.6 ₡35.7K
9.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,239 £930
$788 ₡353.4K
57.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$735 £552
$794 ₡356.2K
-7.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 £1,051
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-64.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 £786
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-26.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,990 £3,743
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-27.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,924 £2,944
$1,224 ₡549.0K
220.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oldham
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,389 £1,793
$864 ₡387.3K
176.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.82
8.62
-44.08%

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

Last update for Oldham: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Oldham
$735
Nosara
$794 8% $59
Eating Out
Oldham
$311
Nosara
$212 31.8% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oldham
$308
Nosara
$186 39.8% $123
Groceries & Markets
Oldham
$300
Nosara
$352 17.6% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Oldham
$140
Nosara
$120 14.4% $20
Getting Around
Oldham
$122
Nosara
$87 28.3% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Oldham
$70
Nosara
$87 24.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,239 in Oldham versus $788 in Nosara. 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 177% higher in Oldham, 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 $84.0 in Oldham versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Oldham vs $352 in Nosara – so Oldham wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Oldham
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
05:40 5:40 AM
22:40 10:40 PM
7 h behind Oldham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
110,718
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Oldham Nosara 8,690 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Oldham
  • Nosara

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
Oldham vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Oldham and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,986 in Oldham, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Oldham compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,979 per month in Oldham and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Oldham and Nosara?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Oldham and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 34% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Oldham and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $1,254 per month in Oldham and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Oldham at $1,986. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oldham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Oldham and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $1,986 in Oldham. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Oldham or Nosara safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Oldham and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oldham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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