Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sudbury and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,418 in Sudbury, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sudbury
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,418
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,418 per month in Sudbury vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Sudbury $2,418
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $3,538 per month in Sudbury vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Sudbury $3,538
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $4,658 per month in Sudbury vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Sudbury $4,658
  • Nosara $3,818

Sudbury costs about 31% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sudbury and Nosara sit above the global median – Sudbury by 79%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.34 CA$24.64
$12.35 ₡5,550
40.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7 CA$97.6
$61.2 ₡27.5K
12.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 CA$14.88
$7.52 ₡3,379
39.23%
Cappuccino
$3.05 CA$4.33
$4.41 ₡1,982
-30.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 CA$2.86
$1.74 ₡781
15.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.33
$1.31 ₡588
25.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.28 CA$7.51
$3.28 ₡1,474
60.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.66 CA$9.47
$4.47 ₡2,008
48.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.33 CA$3.32
$1.56 ₡702
49.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.99 CA$2.83
$3.02 ₡1,358
-34.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.45 CA$6.32
$2.51 ₡1,127
77.29%
Eggs
$3.60 CA$5.12
$3.57 ₡1,606
0.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.93 CA$15.53
$7.43 ₡3,340
47.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.51 CA$19.21
$10.52 ₡4,727
28.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.60 CA$17.91
$13.97 ₡6,277
-9.81%
Apples (1kg)
$4.24 CA$6.02
$2.35 ₡1,054
80.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.23 CA$1.75
$1.61 ₡721
-23.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.71 CA$5.27
$4.80 ₡2,156
-22.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 CA$5.81
$1.61 ₡725
154.04%
Potato (1kg)
$3.86 CA$5.49
$3.80 ₡1,706
1.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.70 CA$3.84
$3.69 ₡1,660
-26.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.94 CA$2.75
$1.13 ₡508
71.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 CA$3.17
$2.66 ₡1,193
-16.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.24 CA$20.24
$5.18 ₡2,326
174.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.90 CA$19.76
$19.88 ₡8,934
-30.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.10 CA$4.40
$2.90 ₡1,303
6.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 CA$3.81
$3.63 ₡1,629
-26.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.82 CA$4.00
$1.12 ₡505
151.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.2 CA$101
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-2.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.21 CA$4.56
$2.14 ₡960
50.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.28 CA$3.24
$1.57 ₡705
45.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.88 CA$38.20
$8.52 ₡3,830
215.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 CA$1.70
$1.52 ₡683
-21.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.6K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
28.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K CA$26.1K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-46.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 CA$245
$96.3 ₡43.3K
78.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$50.2 CA$71.4
$35.89 ₡16.1K
39.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.4 CA$103
$53.6 ₡24.1K
35.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.6 CA$80.5
$71.6 ₡32.2K
-20.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.15 CA$20.11
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-59.47%
Cinema Ticket
$11.53 CA$16.38
$7.89 ₡3,546
46.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$527 CA$749
$494 ₡222.0K
6.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,346 CA$11.9K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-29.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.2 CA$78.4
$53.9 ₡24.2K
2.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.48 CA$46.17
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-41.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 CA$143
$77.9 ₡35.0K
29.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 CA$206
$79.6 ₡35.8K
81.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,348 CA$1,916
$788 ₡354.1K
71.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,158 CA$1,646
$794 ₡356.9K
45.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,865 CA$2,651
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-52.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,879 CA$2,670
$1,419 ₡637.7K
32.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,613 CA$3,714
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-62.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,921 CA$2,731
$1,224 ₡550.0K
56.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sudbury
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,927 CA$4,160
$864 ₡388.0K
238.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.01
8.62
-41.88%

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

Last update for Sudbury: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sudbury
$1.2K
Nosara
$794 31.4% $364
Groceries & Markets
Sudbury
$378
Nosara
$352 6.7% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sudbury
$295
Nosara
$186 37% $109
Eating Out
Sudbury
$261
Nosara
$212 18.8% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Sudbury
$150
Nosara
$120 19.8% $30
Getting Around
Sudbury
$97
Nosara
$87 10.2% $9.9
Sport & Entertainment
Sudbury
$80
Nosara
$87 9.7% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,348 in Sudbury versus $788 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 239% higher in Sudbury, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Sudbury versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Sudbury
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
22:21 10:21 PM
20:21 8:21 PM
2 h behind Sudbury
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
161,531
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sudbury Nosara 4,080 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sudbury
  • 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
Sudbury vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sudbury and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,418 in Sudbury, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Sudbury compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,627 per month in Sudbury and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Sudbury 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.
How do commuting costs compare in Sudbury and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 2% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sudbury and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $527 per month in Sudbury and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
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 $1,839, than in Sudbury at $2,418. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sudbury it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Sudbury and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $2,418 in Sudbury. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Sudbury 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 Sudbury and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sudbury makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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