Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vevey and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,289 in Vevey, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vevey
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,289
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,289 per month in Vevey vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Vevey $3,289
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $4,891 per month in Vevey vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Vevey $4,891
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $6,493 per month in Vevey vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Vevey $6,493
  • Nosara $3,814

Vevey costs about 79% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Vevey and Nosara sit above the global median – Vevey by 143%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.02 CHF 24.73
$12.34 ₡5,535
143.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 CHF 99.0
$61.3 ₡27.5K
96.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.34 CHF 15.11
$7.76 ₡3,481
136.34%
Cappuccino
$6.19 CHF 5.10
$4.44 ₡1,992
39.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.14 CHF 4.23
$1.79 ₡803
187.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.34 CHF 3.57
$1.29 ₡580
236.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.34 CHF 7.69
$3.24 ₡1,451
188.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.08 CHF 6.66
$4.43 ₡1,985
82.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 CHF 1.83
$1.55 ₡696
43.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 CHF 2.42
$3.08 ₡1,380
-4.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.17 CHF 2.61
$2.53 ₡1,133
25.30%
Eggs
$7.20 CHF 5.93
$3.45 ₡1,546
108.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.34 CHF 20.05
$7.32 ₡3,284
232.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$29.03 CHF 23.91
$10.24 ₡4,594
183.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$39.04 CHF 32.15
$14.10 ₡6,326
176.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.61 CHF 2.98
$2.29 ₡1,027
57.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 CHF 1.68
$1.64 ₡737
25.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.45 CHF 2.01
$4.79 ₡2,149
-48.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.69 CHF 3.86
$1.64 ₡735
185.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 CHF 1.52
$3.85 ₡1,727
-52.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 CHF 1.63
$3.75 ₡1,681
-47.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.20 CHF 1.81
$1.09 ₡488
101.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 CHF 1.44
$2.59 ₡1,160
-32.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.84 CHF 8.92
$5.12 ₡2,295
111.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.29 CHF 10.12
$19.92 ₡8,931
-38.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.19 CHF 1.80
$2.80 ₡1,255
-21.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 CHF 2.48
$3.52 ₡1,580
-14.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.54 CHF 2.91
$1.22 ₡549
190.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.89 CHF 6.50
$2.17 ₡973
263.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.68 CHF 3.86
$1.56 ₡698
200.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$84.8 CHF 69.8
$8.67 ₡3,886
877.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.41 CHF 1.99
$1.55 ₡697
55.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K CHF 31.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
11.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K CHF 32.6K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
2.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$279 CHF 230
$94.8 ₡42.5K
194.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.37 CHF 24.19
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-18.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.1 CHF 45.39
$53.1 ₡23.8K
3.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$83.2 CHF 68.5
$73.8 ₡33.1K
12.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.81 CHF 29.49
$35.63 ₡16.0K
0.51%
Cinema Ticket
$25.06 CHF 20.64
$7.91 ₡3,548
216.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,933 CHF 2,416
$490 ₡219.9K
498.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.4K CHF 25.0K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
155.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$140 CHF 116
$54.8 ₡24.6K
156.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.8 CHF 50.1
$55.9 ₡25.1K
8.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 CHF 114
$80.4 ₡36.0K
71.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$194 CHF 160
$77.9 ₡34.9K
149.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,490 CHF 1,227
$801 ₡359.1K
86.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,464 CHF 1,206
$790 ₡354.1K
85.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,467 CHF 2,032
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-38.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,258 CHF 1,860
$1,409 ₡632.0K
60.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$19.4K CHF 16.0K
$7,064 ₡3.2M
174.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$15.6K CHF 12.9K
$1,236 ₡554.3K
1165.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vevey
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,413 CHF 6,929
$887 ₡397.6K
848.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2
8.62
-76.80%

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

Last update for Vevey: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vevey
$1.5K
Nosara
$790 46.1% $675
Groceries & Markets
Vevey
$573
Nosara
$350 39% $223
Eating Out
Vevey
$470
Nosara
$213 54.8% $258
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vevey
$364
Nosara
$184 49.4% $179
Clothing & Footwear
Vevey
$240
Nosara
$121 49.6% $119
Sport & Entertainment
Vevey
$133
Nosara
$90 32.8% $44
Getting Around
Vevey
$45 *
Nosara
$89 95.3% $43

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Vevey versus $801 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 849% higher in Vevey, 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 $120 in Vevey versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $573 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Vevey
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
00:55 12:55 AM
16:55 4:55 PM
8 h behind Vevey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,220
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vevey Nosara 9,390 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vevey
  • 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
Vevey vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Vevey and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,289 in Vevey, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 79% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Vevey compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,934 per month in Vevey and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Vevey 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 $120 in Vevey and $61.0 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 64% more in Vevey, 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 $1,835, than in Vevey at $3,289. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vevey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Vevey and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $3,289 in Vevey. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Vevey 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 Vevey and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vevey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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