Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Denis and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Saint-Denis and in Nosara: $1,800 and $1,837 a month, rent and utilities included.

Saint-Denis
🇷🇪 Reunion
$1,800
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,800 per month in Saint-Denis vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Saint-Denis $1,800
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,171 per month in Saint-Denis vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Saint-Denis $3,171
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $4,543 per month in Saint-Denis vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Saint-Denis $4,543
  • Nosara $3,712

Saint-Denis is about 2% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Saint-Denis and Nosara sit above the global median – Saint-Denis by 34%, Nosara by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.56 €12.10
$12.22 ₡5,509
10.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.0 €70.5
$60.2 ₡27.1K
31.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.63 €13.95
$7.54 ₡3,399
107.29%
Cappuccino
$3.54 €3.16
$4.31 ₡1,941
-17.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.31
$1.72 ₡773
50.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 €2.23
$1.35 ₡608
85.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.07
$3.24 ₡1,459
6.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 €4.15
$4.48 ₡2,018
3.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.52
$1.57 ₡707
8.28%
White Bread (500g)
-
$3.17 ₡1,429
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.96 €2.64
$2.42 ₡1,091
22.31%
Eggs
$4.51 €4.03
$3.57 ₡1,609
26.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.10 €17.94
$7.43 ₡3,349
170.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.24 €11.81
$10.42 ₡4,697
27.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$33.24 €29.66
$13.66 ₡6,156
143.34%
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.32 ₡1,044
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.61 ₡728
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$4.74 ₡2,138
-
Tomato (1kg)
$5.45 €4.87
$1.66 ₡747
228.31%
Potato (1kg)
-
$3.72 ₡1,679
-
Onion (1kg)
$4.51 €4.02
$3.57 ₡1,611
26.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.30 €2.05
$1.10 ₡497
109.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 €1.70
$2.55 ₡1,149
-25.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.39 €10.17
$4.95 ₡2,232
130.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.55 €11.20
$20.01 ₡9,020
-37.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.30 €2.94
$2.79 ₡1,256
18.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 €3.04
$3.53 ₡1,589
-3.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.54 €2.26
$1.19 ₡537
113.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.40 €38.73
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-39.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.24 ₡1,011
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.55 ₡701
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.86 ₡3,993
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.67
$1.57 ₡708
19.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.8K ₡9.8M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 €130
$93.5 ₡42.1K
56.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.61 €15.72
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-49.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.07 €38.44
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-16.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.35 €32.44
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-49.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.43 €11.98
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-62.10%
Cinema Ticket
$11.11 €9.91
$7.84 ₡3,535
41.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$490 ₡220.7K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$148 €132
$53.5 ₡24.1K
175.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 €112
$79.3 ₡35.7K
57.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 €102
$78.9 ₡35.6K
44.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$918 €820
$786 ₡354.3K
16.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$657 €586
$780 ₡351.6K
-15.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,534 €1,369
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-60.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,951 €1,741
$1,407 ₡634.4K
38.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint-Denis
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,054 €1,833
$876 ₡395.0K
134.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
8.62
-

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

Last update for Saint-Denis: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saint-Denis
$657
Nosara
$780 18.7% $123
Groceries & Markets
Saint-Denis
$390 *
Nosara
$350 10.3% $40
Eating Out
Saint-Denis
$245
Nosara
$209 14.4% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Denis
$207
Nosara
$180 12.9% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Denis
$174 *
Nosara
$120 30.8% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Denis
$59
Nosara
$87 48.7% $29
Getting Around
Saint-Denis
$54 *
Nosara
$87 62.2% $33

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $918 in Saint-Denis 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 134% higher in Saint-Denis, 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 $79.0 in Saint-Denis versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇪 Saint-Denis
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
10:29 10:29 AM
00:29 12:29 AM
10 h behind Saint-Denis
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
154,765 Capital
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

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
  • Saint-Denis Nosara 15,690 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint-Denis
  • 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
Saint-Denis vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Saint-Denis and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,800 in Saint-Denis, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Saint-Denis compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,699 per month in Saint-Denis 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 Saint-Denis and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint-Denis, 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 Saint-Denis and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 66% less in Saint-Denis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Denis, where all-in costs run around $1,800, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Saint-Denis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Saint-Denis and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,800 in Saint-Denis to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Saint-Denis 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 Saint-Denis and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Saint-Denis. 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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