Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pembroke and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,355 in Pembroke, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. The total is higher in Pembroke despite lower rent and utilities.

Pembroke
🇧🇲 Bermuda
$2,355
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,355 per month in Pembroke vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Pembroke $2,355
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,881 per month in Pembroke vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Pembroke $3,881
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,406 per month in Pembroke vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Pembroke $5,406
  • Nosara $3,712

Pembroke costs about 28% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pembroke and Nosara sit above the global median – Pembroke by 76%, Nosara by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$50.6 BMD 50.6
$12.22 ₡5,509
313.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$151 BMD 151
$60.2 ₡27.1K
150.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.82 BMD 16.82
$7.54 ₡3,399
123.08%
Cappuccino
$4.45 BMD 4.45
$4.31 ₡1,941
3.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 BMD 2.98
$1.72 ₡773
73.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 BMD 3.18
$1.35 ₡608
135.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.66 BMD 7.66
$3.24 ₡1,459
136.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.09 BMD 9.09
$4.48 ₡2,018
102.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.82 BMD 4.82
$1.57 ₡707
207.01%
White Bread (500g)
$7.95 BMD 7.95
$3.17 ₡1,429
150.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.57 BMD 5.57
$2.42 ₡1,091
130.17%
Eggs
$7.35 BMD 7.35
$3.57 ₡1,609
105.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$23.15 BMD 23.15
$7.43 ₡3,349
211.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$21.62 BMD 21.62
$10.42 ₡4,697
107.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.72 BMD 19.72
$13.66 ₡6,156
44.36%
Apples (1kg)
$8.94 BMD 8.94
$2.32 ₡1,044
285.34%
Banana (1kg)
$6.69 BMD 6.69
$1.61 ₡728
315.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$7.01 BMD 7.01
$4.74 ₡2,138
47.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$8.56 BMD 8.56
$1.66 ₡747
415.66%
Potato (1kg)
$5.81 BMD 5.81
$3.72 ₡1,679
56.18%
Onion (1kg)
$4.12 BMD 4.12
$3.57 ₡1,611
15.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$6.22 BMD 6.22
$1.10 ₡497
465.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.56 BMD 3.56
$2.55 ₡1,149
39.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.84 BMD 17.84
$4.95 ₡2,232
260.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.41 BMD 24.41
$20.01 ₡9,020
21.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.32 BMD 5.32
$2.79 ₡1,256
90.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 BMD 4.27
$3.53 ₡1,589
20.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.19 ₡537
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$129 BMD 129
$72.1 ₡32.5K
78.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.69 BMD 6.69
$2.24 ₡1,011
198.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 BMD 2.43
$1.55 ₡701
56.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$69.1 BMD 69.1
$8.86 ₡3,993
680.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.42 BMD 2.42
$1.57 ₡708
54.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K BMD 36.8K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
68.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.5K BMD 43.5K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
25.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$286 BMD 286
$93.5 ₡42.1K
205.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$151 BMD 151
$35.11 ₡15.8K
328.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$161 BMD 161
$51.5 ₡23.2K
212.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$80.2 BMD 80.2
$71.4 ₡32.2K
12.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.32 BMD 13.32
$7.84 ₡3,535
69.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,324 BMD 1,324
$490 ₡220.7K
170.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.7K BMD 24.7K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
107.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5 BMD 90.5
$53.5 ₡24.1K
69.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$71.2 BMD 71.2
$55.8 ₡25.1K
27.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$141 BMD 141
$79.3 ₡35.7K
77.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 BMD 128
$78.9 ₡35.6K
62.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,765 BMD 3,765
$786 ₡354.3K
379.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$780 ₡351.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pembroke
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,935 BMD 7,935
$876 ₡395.0K
805.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.63
8.62
0.12%

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

Last update for Pembroke: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Pembroke
$749
Nosara
$350 53.3% $400
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pembroke
$597
Nosara
$180 69.8% $417
Eating Out
Pembroke
$590
Nosara
$209 64.5% $380
Clothing & Footwear
Pembroke
$194
Nosara
$120 37.8% $73
Getting Around
Pembroke
$148 *
Nosara
$87 41.2% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Pembroke
$107
Nosara
$87 18.5% $20
Accommodation & Living
Pembroke
- *
Nosara
$780

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,765 in Pembroke versus $786 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 805% higher in Pembroke, 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 $151 in Pembroke versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $749 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇲 Pembroke
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
00:22 12:22 AM
21:22 9:22 PM
3 h behind Pembroke
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,160
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BMD – Bermudian Dollar Converter

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

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pembroke Nosara 3,280 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Pembroke
  • 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
Pembroke vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Pembroke and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,355 in Pembroke, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 28% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Pembroke compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,533 per month in Pembroke and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Pembroke 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 Pembroke and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 79% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Pembroke and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $1,324 per month in Pembroke and $490 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 $1,837, than in Pembroke at $2,355. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pembroke it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Pembroke and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Pembroke has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,837 in Nosara to $2,355 in Pembroke. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Pembroke 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 Pembroke and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pembroke makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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