Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,460 per month in Selfoss vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Selfoss $3,460
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $2,461 per month in Selfoss vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Selfoss $2,461
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,462 per month in Selfoss vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Selfoss $1,462
Nosara $3,712

Selfoss costs about 88% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Selfoss and Nosara sit above the global median – Selfoss by 158%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.81 ISK 2,538

$7.54 ₡3,399

175.99%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.20 ISK 1,488

$3.24 ₡1,459

276.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ISK 219

$1.57 ₡707

14.01%

White Bread (500g)

$7.61 ISK 928

$3.17 ₡1,429

140.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 ISK 544

$2.42 ₡1,091

84.30%

Eggs

$6.56 ISK 800

$3.57 ₡1,609

83.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 ISK 2,103

$7.43 ₡3,349

132.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.77 ISK 2,655

$10.42 ₡4,697

108.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.50 ISK 4,085

$13.66 ₡6,156

145.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ISK 332

$2.32 ₡1,044

17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ISK 335

$1.61 ₡728

70.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 ISK 324

$4.74 ₡2,138

-44.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.51 ISK 916

$1.66 ₡747

352.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 391

$3.72 ₡1,679

-13.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 266

$3.57 ₡1,611

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 ISK 439

$1.10 ₡497

227.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ISK 175

$2.55 ₡1,149

-43.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.97 ISK 1,947

$4.95 ₡2,232

222.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ISK 143

$3.53 ₡1,589

-66.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

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)

$1.57 ₡708

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

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

$780 ₡351.6K

261.62%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:46 2:46 AM

20:46 8:46 PM

6 h behind Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

4,912

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.31 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).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Selfoss Nosara 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Selfoss
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

Selfoss vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,460 in Selfoss, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 88% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,190 per month in Selfoss and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,460 in Selfoss and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 88%.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Selfoss, 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 $1,837, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss 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 $1,837 in Nosara to $3,460 in Selfoss. 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, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.