Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlanta, GA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $3,081 in Atlanta, GA, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

150

Cost of Living Index in Atlanta, GA
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Atlanta, GA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,081

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,081 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $3,081
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $4,483 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $4,483
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,885 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $5,885
Nosara $3,712

Atlanta, GA costs about 68% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Atlanta, GA and Nosara sit above the global median – Atlanta, GA by 130%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.41 $33.41

$12.22 ₡5,509

173.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 $110

$60.2 ₡27.1K

83.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$7.54 ₡3,399

58.89%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$4.31 ₡1,941

31.55%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.72 ₡773

58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.35 ₡608

58.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 $7.38

$3.24 ₡1,459

127.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$4.48 ₡2,018

80.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.57 ₡707

-45.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.17 ₡1,429

7.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.42 ₡1,091

54.96%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.57 ₡1,609

32.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$7.43 ₡3,349

83.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 $14.87

$10.42 ₡4,697

42.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.22 $20.22

$13.66 ₡6,156

48.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$2.32 ₡1,044

161.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.61 ₡728

-7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$4.74 ₡2,138

27.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$1.66 ₡747

211.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.72 ₡1,679

-3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.57 ₡1,611

-26.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.10 ₡497

104.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.55 ₡1,149

8.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 $8.66

$4.95 ₡2,232

74.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$20.01 ₡9,020

-23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.79 ₡1,256

41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.53 ₡1,589

44.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.19 ₡537

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 $96.7

$72.1 ₡32.5K

34.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.24 ₡1,011

53.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.55 ₡701

-1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.02 $24.02

$8.86 ₡3,993

171.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.57 ₡708

-36.31%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

70.43%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-25.27%

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

$201 $201

$93.5 ₡42.1K

115.26%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$35.11 ₡15.8K

102.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$51.5 ₡23.2K

67.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.71 $31.71

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-55.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.72 $15.72

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-55.64%

Cinema Ticket

$17.27 $17.27

$7.84 ₡3,535

120.28%

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

$1,870 $1,870

$490 ₡220.7K

282.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

87.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.97 $43.97

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-21.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 $99.8

$79.3 ₡35.7K

25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$78.9 ₡35.6K

40.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

$786 ₡354.3K

163.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 $1,550

$780 ₡351.6K

98.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,482 $3,482

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-9.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 $2,177

$1,407 ₡634.4K

54.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,856 $3,856

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-44.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,664 $2,664

$1,201 ₡541.3K

121.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,396 $5,396

$876 ₡395.0K

515.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

8.62

-24.13%

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

Last update for Atlanta, GA: 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

Atlanta, GA

$1.5K 49.4%

Nosara

$780 43% 49.7% $770

Groceries & Markets

Atlanta, GA

$460 14.7%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 24.1% $111

Eating Out

Atlanta, GA

$444 14.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 52.8% $234

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Atlanta, GA

$358 11.4%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 49.8% $178

Clothing & Footwear

Atlanta, GA

$139 4.4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 13.2% $18

Getting Around

Atlanta, GA

$118 3.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 26.3% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Atlanta, GA

$66 2.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 31.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,070 in Atlanta, GA versus $786 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 516% higher in Atlanta, GA, 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 $110 in Atlanta, GA versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $460 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

21:46 9:46 PM

19:46 7:46 PM

2 h behind Atlanta, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

510,823

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Atlanta, GA Nosara 2,680 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Atlanta, GA
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

Atlanta, GA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Atlanta, GA is pricier by about 68%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,621 per month in Atlanta, GA and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Atlanta, GA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $110 in Atlanta, GA and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Atlanta, GA at $3,081. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atlanta, GA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atlanta, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.