Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Nosara Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Nosara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,744 per month in San Francisco vs $1,820 in Nosara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,742 per month in San Francisco vs $2,806 in Nosara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in San Francisco vs $3,793 in Nosara, rent included.

San Francisco is about 4% cheaper than Nosara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both San Francisco and Nosara sit above the global median – San Francisco by 26%, Nosara by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.15 ₡5,436

$12.32 ₡5,513

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 ₡26.4K

$59.3 ₡26.5K

-0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 ₡5,102

$7.74 ₡3,466

47.29%

Cappuccino

$4.36 ₡1,953

$4.41 ₡1,974

-1.13%

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

$2.71 ₡1,215

$1.71 ₡766

58.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₡836

$1.31 ₡585

42.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 ₡1,457

$3.21 ₡1,437

1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 ₡2,009

$4.32 ₡1,932

3.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ₡1,089

$1.62 ₡727

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,366

$3.03 ₡1,357

0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$2.42 ₡1,083

0.83%

Eggs

$3.60 ₡1,609

$3.48 ₡1,556

3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ₡4,908

$7.48 ₡3,348

46.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 ₡4,803

$10.41 ₡4,658

3.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 ₡6,300

$13.90 ₡6,220

1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 ₡2,311

$2.35 ₡1,052

119.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$1.63 ₡730

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.87 ₡2,179

$4.68 ₡2,093

4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 ₡1,780

$1.64 ₡733

142.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 ₡1,693

$3.77 ₡1,688

0.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 ₡1,675

$3.78 ₡1,691

-1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡484

$1.13 ₡504

-4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₡1,408

$2.67 ₡1,193

17.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 ₡2,768

$5.19 ₡2,323

19.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.78 ₡9,300

$20.16 ₡9,023

3.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₡1,310

$2.87 ₡1,284

2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₡1,659

$3.58 ₡1,604

3.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡585

$1.49 ₡668

-12.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 ₡1,091

$2.18 ₡977

11.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.64 ₡732

-3.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ₡3,957

$8.69 ₡3,891

1.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡672

$1.47 ₡659

2.04%

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

$21.9K ₡9.8M

$22.1K ₡9.9M

-0.81%

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

$35.5K ₡15.9M

$35.2K ₡15.7M

1.05%

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

$96.7 ₡43.3K

$95.9 ₡42.9K

0.81%

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

$36.77 ₡16.5K

$36.76 ₡16.5K

0.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.28 ₡18.0K

$52.0 ₡23.3K

-22.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.6 ₡33.4K

$72.8 ₡32.6K

2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.41 ₡16.3K

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ₡3,788

$8.18 ₡3,660

3.42%

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

$1,010 ₡451.8K

$493 ₡220.8K

104.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

43.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 ₡31.9K

$54.8 ₡24.5K

30.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$55.7 ₡24.9K

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.5K

$78.4 ₡35.1K

66.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$78.0 ₡34.9K

68.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ₡359.2K

$813 ₡363.8K

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 ₡289.1K

$807 ₡361.3K

-19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 ₡845.0K

$3,994 ₡1.8M

-52.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 ₡575.2K

$1,400 ₡626.5K

-8.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,940 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 ₡541.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$874 ₡391.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

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

Last update for San Francisco: September 8, 2026

Last update for Nosara: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $802 in San Francisco versus $813 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 $59.0 in San Francisco versus $59.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $407 in San Francisco vs $352 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

San Francisco vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,744 in San Francisco, $1,820 in Nosara – roughly 4% apart. Nosara costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,616 per month in San Francisco and $2,729 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Francisco, 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 $59.0 in San Francisco and $59.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Francisco, where all-in costs run around $1,744, than in Nosara at $1,820. In San Francisco 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 $1,744 in San Francisco to $1,820 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 San Francisco. 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.