Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pando and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Pando: $997 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pando
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$997
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pando 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 Pando and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $997 per month in Pando vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Pando $997
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Pando vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Pando $1,900
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $2,802 per month in Pando vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Pando $2,802
  • Nosara $3,814

Pando is about 46% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Pando sits 26% below the global median, while Nosara is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pando
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.97 UYU 521
$12.34 ₡5,535
5.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 UYU 1,758
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-28.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.92 UYU 559
$7.76 ₡3,481
79.38%
Cappuccino
$5.07 UYU 203
$4.44 ₡1,992
14.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 UYU 94.2
$1.79 ₡803
31.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.8
$1.29 ₡580
75.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 UYU 117
$3.24 ₡1,451
-9.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 UYU 145
$4.43 ₡1,985
-18.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pando
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 UYU 45.54
$1.55 ₡696
-27.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.82 UYU 113
$3.08 ₡1,380
-8.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 UYU 67.8
$2.53 ₡1,133
-33.20%
Eggs
$4.32 UYU 173
$3.45 ₡1,546
25.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.35 UYU 496
$7.32 ₡3,284
68.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.88 UYU 477
$10.24 ₡4,594
16.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.07 UYU 485
$14.10 ₡6,326
-14.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 UYU 122
$2.29 ₡1,027
32.75%
Banana (1kg)
$3.34 UYU 134
$1.64 ₡737
103.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 UYU 92.3
$4.79 ₡2,149
-51.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.97 UYU 159
$1.64 ₡735
142.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$3.85 ₡1,727
-46.23%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 UYU 83.5
$3.75 ₡1,681
-44.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 UYU 63.2
$1.09 ₡488
44.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 UYU 76.6
$2.59 ₡1,160
-26.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96 UYU 400
$5.12 ₡2,295
94.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.97 UYU 320
$19.92 ₡8,931
-59.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.02 UYU 121
$2.80 ₡1,255
7.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36 UYU 135
$3.52 ₡1,580
-4.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Pando
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.22 ₡549
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 UYU 144
$2.17 ₡973
65.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.44 UYU 138
$1.56 ₡698
120.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.78 UYU 393
$8.67 ₡3,886
12.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 UYU 86.3
$1.55 ₡697
38.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K UYU 1.4M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
3.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2K UYU 1.6M
$38.7K ₡17.4M
3.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pando
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$113 UYU 4,536
$94.8 ₡42.5K
19.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.04 UYU 965
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-33.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.87 UYU 1,881
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-11.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pando
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.53 UYU 503
$7.91 ₡3,548
58.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pando
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 UYU 19.7K
$490 ₡219.9K
0.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,713 UYU 269.4K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-43.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pando
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 UYU 3,535
$54.8 ₡24.6K
60.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.69 UYU 1,513
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-32.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$163 UYU 6,545
$80.4 ₡36.0K
102.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 UYU 4,714
$77.9 ₡34.9K
50.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pando
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$346 UYU 13.9K
$801 ₡359.1K
-56.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$790 ₡354.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$740 UYU 29.7K
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-81.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$606 UYU 24.3K
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-56.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,236 ₡554.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pando
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
8.62
-42.00%

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

Last update for Pando: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Pando
$338
Nosara
$350 3.5% $12
Eating Out
Pando
$247
Nosara
$213 13.8% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pando
$184
Nosara
$184 0% $0.1
Clothing & Footwear
Pando
$183
Nosara
$121 33.8% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Pando
$25 *
Nosara
$90 258% $65
Getting Around
Pando
$21 *
Nosara
$89 327% $68
Accommodation & Living
Pando
- *
Nosara
$790

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Pando versus $801 in Nosara. 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 $44.00 in Pando versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $350 – making Pando the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Pando
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
11:56 11:56 AM
08:56 8:56 AM
3 h behind Pando
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,949
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 24, 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
  • Pando Nosara 5,870 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Pando
  • 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
Pando vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Pando and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $997 in Pando, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 84% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Pando compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,496 per month in Pando and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Pando and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pando, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Pando and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pando, where all-in costs run around $997, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Pando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Pando and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $997 in Pando to $1,835 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Pando 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 Pando and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Pando. 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.

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