Cost of Living Comparison Between Samara and Nosara Cost of Living Comparison Between Samara and Nosara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,816 per month in Samara vs $1,712 in Nosara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,506 per month in Samara vs $2,637 in Nosara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,196 per month in Samara vs $3,562 in Nosara, rent included.

Samara costs about 6% more than Nosara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Samara and Nosara sit above the global median – Samara by 36%, Nosara by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 ₡4,492

$11.04 ₡5,046

-10.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 ₡24.7K

$60.5 ₡27.6K

-10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 ₡3,096

$7.09 ₡3,240

-4.37%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₡1,250

$3.89 ₡1,777

-29.82%

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

$2.08 ₡948

$1.57 ₡719

32.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₡620

$1.17 ₡533

16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 ₡1,386

$2.94 ₡1,345

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 ₡1,882

$4.71 ₡2,150

-12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₡939

$1.47 ₡671

39.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 ₡1,268

$2.81 ₡1,286

-1.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₡992

$2.25 ₡1,026

-3.56%

Eggs

$3.00 ₡1,369

$2.94 ₡1,345

2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 ₡4,675

$6.78 ₡3,099

50.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 ₡4,050

$9.03 ₡4,126

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 ₡4,615

$13.62 ₡6,223

-25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 ₡2,037

$2.05 ₡935

117.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡682

$1.46 ₡668

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 ₡1,930

$4.18 ₡1,908

0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 ₡1,594

$1.51 ₡691

131.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 ₡1,549

$3.44 ₡1,573

-1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 ₡1,430

$3.19 ₡1,457

-1.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₡439

$0.96 ₡437

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₡1,293

$2.42 ₡1,104

16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.93 ₡2,255

$4.61 ₡2,107

6.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.26 ₡8,802

$21.01 ₡9,601

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₡1,036

$2.41 ₡1,100

-5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₡1,028

$2.85 ₡1,301

-21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₡474

$0.96 ₡438

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₡830

$1.80 ₡822

1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡842

$1.85 ₡845

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 ₡3,641

$7.77 ₡3,550

2.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡667

$1.28 ₡585

14.06%

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

$38.5K ₡17.6M

$32.4K ₡14.8M

18.58%

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

$32.7K ₡15.0M

$32.2K ₡14.7M

1.59%

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

$92.4 ₡42.2K

$95.5 ₡43.6K

-3.26%

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

$25.46 ₡11.6K

$26.09 ₡11.9K

-2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 ₡27.1K

$47.42 ₡21.7K

25.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₡32.1K

$57.8 ₡26.4K

21.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.72 ₡10.8K

$23.56 ₡10.8K

0.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 ₡4,452

$10.18 ₡4,651

-4.32%

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

$469 ₡214.2K

$442 ₡202.1K

5.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,010 ₡2.7M

$10.5K ₡4.8M

-42.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ₡27.2K

$50.6 ₡23.1K

17.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 ₡23.2K

$51.4 ₡23.5K

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡57.3K

$72.2 ₡33.0K

73.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₡48.3K

$70.4 ₡32.1K

50.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 ₡677.2K

$770 ₡352.0K

92.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 ₡384.3K

$733 ₡334.8K

14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,941 ₡1.3M

$1,500 ₡685.6K

95.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 ₡448.0K

$1,290 ₡589.4K

-23.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,942 ₡2.3M

$7,047 ₡3.2M

-29.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 ₡563.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₡409.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Samara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nosara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,482 in Samara versus $770 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 $54.0 in Samara versus $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in Samara vs $323 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Samara vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,816 in Samara, $1,712 in Nosara – roughly 6% apart. Samara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,725 per month in Samara and $2,568 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Samara and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Samara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,712, than in Samara at $1,816. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Samara 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 $1,712 in Nosara to $1,816 in Samara. 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Samara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.