Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$111

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $111 per month in Arica vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Arica $111
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $178 per month in Arica vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Arica $178
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $246 per month in Arica vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Arica $246
Nosara $3,818

Arica is about 94% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Arica sits 92% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,550

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,379

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,982

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

$1.74 ₡781

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,230

$1.31 ₡588

-4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,474

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,008

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 CLP 992

$1.56 ₡702

-35.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,358

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,606

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,340

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,727

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,277

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,156

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,660

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡508

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,326

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,934

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,303

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,629

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 CLP 691

$1.12 ₡505

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡960

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡705

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,830

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ₡9.7M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.5K ₡15.5M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.3 ₡43.3K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,546

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$494 ₡222.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.20 CLP 39.6K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-25.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.59 CLP 20.3K

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-62.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 CLP 53.1K

$77.9 ₡35.0K

-30.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 CLP 90.3K

$79.6 ₡35.8K

15.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡354.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡550.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 CLP 496.1K

$864 ₡388.0K

-41.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-42.00%

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

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Clothing & Footwear

Arica

$93 83.9%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 29.3% $27

Groceries & Markets

Arica

$10 * 9.1%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 3398% $342

Eating Out

Arica

$5 * 4.5%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 4145% $207

Getting Around

Arica

$2.8 * 2.5%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 3000% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arica

- * 0%

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Arica

- * 0%

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Accommodation & Living

Arica

- * 0%

Nosara

$794 43.2%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 71% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇱 Arica

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

05:49 5:49 AM

02:49 2:49 AM

3 h behind Arica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,131

4,912

💱 Currency

Chilean Peso CLP $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CLP = 10.15 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇱 Chilean Peso ($)

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 985 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,103 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.07 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).

USD to CLP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Arica Nosara 3,580 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Arica
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

Arica vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $111 in Arica, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 1560% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $166 per month in Arica and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $111 in Arica and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 1560%.

Groceries cost about 3398% 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 Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Arica 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 $111 in Arica to $1,839 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 Arica. 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.