Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between The Valley and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in The Valley: $734 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

The Valley

🇦🇮 Anguilla

$734

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $734 per month in The Valley vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

The Valley $734
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,481 per month in The Valley vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

The Valley $1,481
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $2,227 per month in The Valley vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

The Valley $2,227
Nosara $3,712

The Valley is about 60% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The Valley sits 45% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 EC$54.9

$12.22 ₡5,509

66.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 EC$352

$60.2 ₡27.1K

116.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 EC$31.99

$7.54 ₡3,399

57.16%

Cappuccino

$5.12 EC$13.83

$4.31 ₡1,941

18.79%

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

$3.56 EC$9.62

$1.72 ₡773

106.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 EC$9.50

$1.35 ₡608

160.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 EC$16.66

$3.24 ₡1,459

90.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 EC$17.68

$4.48 ₡2,018

46.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.92 EC$7.89

$1.57 ₡707

85.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 EC$10.71

$2.42 ₡1,091

64.05%

Eggs

$4.82 EC$13.01

$3.57 ₡1,609

35.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.82 EC$37.32

$10.42 ₡4,697

32.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.21 EC$68.1

$13.66 ₡6,156

84.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 EC$13.66

$2.32 ₡1,044

118.10%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 EC$8.31

$1.61 ₡728

91.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 EC$10.87

$4.74 ₡2,138

-14.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 EC$13.10

$1.66 ₡747

192.17%

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 EC$11.06

$3.72 ₡1,679

9.95%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 EC$10.90

$3.57 ₡1,611

13.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.89 EC$10.51

$1.10 ₡497

253.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 EC$8.17

$2.55 ₡1,149

18.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 EC$27.06

$4.95 ₡2,232

102.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.59 EC$55.6

$20.01 ₡9,020

2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

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)

$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 The Valley: 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

The Valley

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

The Valley

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

The Valley

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

The Valley

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

The Valley

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

The Valley

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

The Valley

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $130 in The Valley versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇮 The Valley

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

03:23 3:23 AM

01:23 1:23 AM

2 h behind The Valley

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,200 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.33 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to XCD – East Caribbean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 East Caribbean Dollar ($)

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.33 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 XCD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

The Valley Nosara 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

The Valley
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

The Valley vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $734 in The Valley, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 150% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,101 per month in The Valley and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $130 in The Valley and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $734 in The Valley and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 150%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in The Valley, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Nosara at $1,837. In The Valley 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 $734 in The Valley 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 The Valley. 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.