Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Saguenay: $1,417 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Saguenay
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Saguenay Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Saguenay

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,417

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,417 per month in Saguenay vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Saguenay $1,417
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Saguenay vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Saguenay $2,221
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $3,025 per month in Saguenay vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Saguenay $3,025
Nosara $3,712

Saguenay is about 23% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Saguenay and Nosara sit above the global median – Saguenay by 6%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.47 CA$22.05

$12.22 ₡5,509

26.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.88 CA$61.1

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-28.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 CA$15.31

$7.54 ₡3,399

42.44%

Cappuccino

$3.64 CA$5.19

$4.31 ₡1,941

-15.55%

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

$1.50 CA$2.14

$1.72 ₡773

-12.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.73

$1.35 ₡608

-10.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.43

$3.24 ₡1,459

60.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 CA$7.45

$4.48 ₡2,018

16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.92

$1.57 ₡707

30.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$4.03

$3.17 ₡1,429

-10.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.83

$2.42 ₡1,091

69.01%

Eggs

$2.74 CA$3.91

$3.57 ₡1,609

-23.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 CA$12.35

$7.43 ₡3,349

16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 CA$10.17

$10.42 ₡4,697

-31.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 CA$14.44

$13.66 ₡6,156

-25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$6.05

$2.32 ₡1,044

82.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.94

$1.61 ₡728

-15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.27

$4.74 ₡2,138

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.57

$1.66 ₡747

135.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.17

$3.72 ₡1,679

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.93

$3.57 ₡1,611

-22.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CA$3.45

$1.10 ₡497

120.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 CA$1.14

$2.55 ₡1,149

-68.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.81 CA$16.84

$4.95 ₡2,232

138.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.29 CA$16.10

$20.01 ₡9,020

-43.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.57

$2.79 ₡1,256

15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 CA$4.79

$3.53 ₡1,589

-4.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.86

$1.19 ₡537

127.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 CA$80.0

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-22.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$4.01

$2.24 ₡1,011

25.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$2.00

$1.55 ₡701

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.62 CA$39.36

$8.86 ₡3,993

211.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.63

$1.57 ₡708

-27.39%

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

$27.6K CA$39.3K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

26.53%

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

$19.5K CA$27.8K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-43.74%

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

$62.9 CA$89.7

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-32.68%

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

$31.16 CA$44.41

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-11.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.94 CA$64.1

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.19 CA$34.48

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-66.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.72 CA$26.68

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-47.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 CA$12.64

$7.84 ₡3,535

13.14%

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

$681 CA$970

$490 ₡220.7K

39.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,086 CA$13.0K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-23.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$81.2

$53.5 ₡24.1K

6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 CA$49.03

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-38.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$122

$79.3 ₡35.7K

8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$153

$78.9 ₡35.6K

36.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 CA$868

$786 ₡354.3K

-22.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 CA$654

$780 ₡351.6K

-41.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 CA$1,678

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-69.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 CA$1,326

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-33.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,613 CA$8,001

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-19.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,390 CA$4,832

$1,201 ₡541.3K

182.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,552 CA$3,638

$876 ₡395.0K

191.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

8.62

-48.49%

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

Last update for Saguenay: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saguenay

$459 32.7%

Nosara

$780 43% 70% $321

Groceries & Markets

Saguenay

$311 22.2%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 12.5% $39

Eating Out

Saguenay

$247 17.6%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 15.2% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saguenay

$139 9.9%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 29.5% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Saguenay

$128 9.1%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 5.9% $7.5

Getting Around

Saguenay

$77 5.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 13.2% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Saguenay

$42 3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 108% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $609 in Saguenay 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 191% higher in Saguenay, 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 $43.00 in Saguenay versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $350 – making Saguenay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Saguenay

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

14:16 2:16 PM

12:16 12:16 PM

2 h behind Saguenay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

144,723

4,912

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Saguenay Nosara 4,480 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Saguenay
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

Saguenay vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,417 in Saguenay, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,125 per month in Saguenay and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 28% less in Saguenay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $681 per month in Saguenay and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saguenay, where all-in costs run around $1,417, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Saguenay 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 $1,417 in Saguenay to $1,837 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 Saguenay. 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.