Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St Lawrence and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $3,145 in St Lawrence, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

St Lawrence
🇯🇪 Jersey
$3,145
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,145 per month in St Lawrence vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • St Lawrence $3,145
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $5,181 per month in St Lawrence vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • St Lawrence $5,181
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $7,217 per month in St Lawrence vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • St Lawrence $7,217
  • Nosara $3,712

St Lawrence costs about 71% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both St Lawrence and Nosara sit above the global median – St Lawrence by 135%, Nosara by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$39.08 JEP 29.59
$12.22 ₡5,509
219.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$119 JEP 90.4
$60.2 ₡27.1K
98.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.76 JEP 8.14
$7.54 ₡3,399
42.71%
Cappuccino
$4.87 JEP 3.69
$4.31 ₡1,941
12.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 JEP 2.45
$1.72 ₡773
88.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 JEP 1.92
$1.35 ₡608
87.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.03 JEP 6.08
$3.24 ₡1,459
147.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.47 JEP 4.90
$4.48 ₡2,018
44.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.31 JEP 1.75
$1.57 ₡707
47.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.81 JEP 2.13
$3.17 ₡1,429
-11.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.52 JEP 1.91
$2.42 ₡1,091
4.13%
Eggs
$5.74 JEP 4.34
$3.57 ₡1,609
60.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.39 JEP 5.59
$7.43 ₡3,349
-0.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.14 JEP 9.19
$10.42 ₡4,697
16.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.11 JEP 13.71
$13.66 ₡6,156
32.58%
Apples (1kg)
$4.25 JEP 3.22
$2.32 ₡1,044
83.19%
Banana (1kg)
$3.44 JEP 2.60
$1.61 ₡728
113.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.17 JEP 3.16
$4.74 ₡2,138
-12.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.51 JEP 3.41
$1.66 ₡747
171.69%
Potato (1kg)
$3.23 JEP 2.44
$3.72 ₡1,679
-13.17%
Onion (1kg)
$3.13 JEP 2.37
$3.57 ₡1,611
-12.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.82 JEP 1.37
$1.10 ₡497
65.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 JEP 1.87
$2.55 ₡1,149
-3.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.71 JEP 14.92
$4.95 ₡2,232
298.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 JEP 8.06
$20.01 ₡9,020
-46.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.59 JEP 3.47
$2.79 ₡1,256
64.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.81 JEP 5.91
$3.53 ₡1,589
121.25%
🚌 Getting Around
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.19 ₡537
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.21 JEP 3.95
$2.24 ₡1,011
132.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 JEP 1.84
$1.55 ₡701
56.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$53.5 JEP 40.52
$8.86 ₡3,993
504.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 JEP 1.60
$1.57 ₡708
34.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K JEP 20.1K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
21.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.1K JEP 27.3K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
4.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$318 JEP 241
$93.5 ₡42.1K
240.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.88 JEP 25.64
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-3.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.3 JEP 54.8
$51.5 ₡23.2K
40.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$93.8 JEP 71.0
$71.4 ₡32.2K
31.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.21 JEP 15.30
$7.84 ₡3,535
157.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$833 JEP 631
$490 ₡220.7K
70.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K JEP 9,107
$11.9K ₡5.4M
1.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 JEP 78.7
$53.5 ₡24.1K
94.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$72.8 JEP 55.1
$55.8 ₡25.1K
30.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 JEP 90.6
$79.3 ₡35.7K
51.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$207 JEP 156
$78.9 ₡35.6K
162.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,749 JEP 1,324
$786 ₡354.3K
122.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,482 JEP 1,122
$780 ₡351.6K
90.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,974 JEP 3,008
$3,860 ₡1.7M
2.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,325 JEP 2,517
$1,407 ₡634.4K
136.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
St Lawrence
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$876 ₡395.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.08
8.62
-52.67%

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

Last update for St Lawrence: 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
St Lawrence
$1.5K
Nosara
$780 47.4% $702
Eating Out
St Lawrence
$480
Nosara
$209 56.3% $270
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Lawrence
$424
Nosara
$180 57.6% $244
Groceries & Markets
St Lawrence
$415
Nosara
$350 15.8% $66
Clothing & Footwear
St Lawrence
$226
Nosara
$120 46.8% $106
Sport & Entertainment
St Lawrence
$134
Nosara
$87 35.1% $47
Getting Around
St Lawrence
$17 *
Nosara
$87 400% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,749 in St Lawrence 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in St Lawrence versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇪 St Lawrence
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
09:48 9:48 AM
02:48 2:48 AM
7 h behind St Lawrence
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,500
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to JEP – Jersey Pound Converter

Jersey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 JEP (1 JEP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.849 JEP (1 JEP = 1.18 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • St Lawrence Nosara 8,700 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • St Lawrence
  • 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
St Lawrence vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in St Lawrence and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,145 in St Lawrence, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 71% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in St Lawrence compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,717 per month in St Lawrence 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 St Lawrence and Nosara?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $119 in St Lawrence and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 19% more in St Lawrence, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in St Lawrence at $3,145. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in St Lawrence it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between St Lawrence and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,837 in Nosara to $3,145 in St Lawrence. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is St Lawrence 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 St Lawrence and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St Lawrence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

St Lawrence vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?