Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumba and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumba: $213 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Sumba

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

$213

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $213 per month in Sumba vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Sumba $213
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $285 per month in Sumba vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Sumba $285
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $357 per month in Sumba vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Sumba $357
Nosara $3,712

Sumba is about 88% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sumba sits 84% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

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)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 FOK 15.52

$1.57 ₡707

47.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 FOK 71.0

$4.95 ₡2,232

114.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 FOK 80.6

$20.01 ₡9,020

-39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 FOK 15.13

$2.79 ₡1,256

-19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 FOK 12.31

$3.53 ₡1,589

-47.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.51 FOK 30.10

$1.19 ₡537

278.99%

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)

$1.92 FOK 12.86

$1.57 ₡708

22.29%

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)

$61.9 FOK 414

$51.5 ₡23.2K

20.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 FOK 253

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-46.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$15.51 FOK 104

$7.84 ₡3,535

97.83%

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)

$780 ₡351.6K

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 Sumba: 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

Sumba

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Sumba

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Sumba

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sumba

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Sumba

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Sumba

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Sumba

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Good to know

🇫🇴 Sumba

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

05:48 5:48 AM

22:48 10:48 PM

7 h behind Sumba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

300

4,912

💱 Currency

Faroese Króna FOK kr

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 FOK = 0.15 USD

1 FOK = 0.133 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to FOK – Faroese Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇴 Faroese Króna (kr)

Faroese Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 FOK (1 FOK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 FOK (1 FOK = 0.133 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 FOK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sumba Nosara 8,450 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Sumba
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

Sumba vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $213 in Sumba, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 764% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $319 per month in Sumba 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 $213 in Sumba and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 764%.

Groceries cost about 461% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sumba, where all-in costs run around $213, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Sumba 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 $213 in Sumba to $1,837 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 Sumba. 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.