Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

156

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, CA
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Auburn, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,212 per month in Auburn, CA vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Auburn, CA $3,212
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $4,620 per month in Auburn, CA vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Auburn, CA $4,620
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $6,027 per month in Auburn, CA vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Auburn, CA $6,027
Nosara $3,818

Auburn, CA costs about 75% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Auburn, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – Auburn, CA by 138%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$12.35 ₡5,539

104.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.7 $90.7

$61.2 ₡27.4K

48.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 $11.92

$7.52 ₡3,373

58.51%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$4.41 ₡1,978

11.34%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$1.74 ₡780

45.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.31 ₡587

80.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.28 ₡1,471

48.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$4.47 ₡2,004

59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.56 ₡701

-21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.02 ₡1,355

49.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.21 $8.21

$2.51 ₡1,125

227.09%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$3.57 ₡1,603

-11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.79 $25.79

$7.43 ₡3,333

247.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$10.52 ₡4,717

76.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.00 $23.00

$13.97 ₡6,265

64.64%

Apples (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$2.35 ₡1,052

228.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.61 ₡720

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$4.80 ₡2,152

77.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$1.61 ₡724

321.12%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.80 ₡1,703

34.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.69 ₡1,657

-17.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.13 ₡507

78.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.66 ₡1,191

-14.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$5.18 ₡2,321

125.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$19.88 ₡8,916

-23.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.90 ₡1,300

-49.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.63 ₡1,626

-44.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.12 ₡504

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 $88.2

$72.6 ₡32.6K

21.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.14 ₡958

52.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.57 ₡703

54.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.49 $40.49

$8.52 ₡3,823

375.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.52 ₡682

-19.74%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

51.93%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-29.03%

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

$189 $189

$96.3 ₡43.2K

96.22%

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

$49.79 $49.79

$35.89 ₡16.1K

38.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$53.6 ₡24.0K

24.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 $64.4

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-10.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$7.89 ₡3,539

91.38%

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

$2,686 $2,686

$494 ₡221.6K

443.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,939 $5,939

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-49.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 $68.7

$53.9 ₡24.2K

27.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.74 $46.74

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$77.9 ₡34.9K

41.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 $199

$79.6 ₡35.7K

149.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$788 ₡353.4K

131.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 $1,591

$794 ₡356.2K

100.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 $2,784

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-29.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 $2,344

$1,419 ₡636.5K

65.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 $3,277

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-52.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,675 $2,675

$1,224 ₡549.0K

118.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,926 $3,926

$864 ₡387.3K

354.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

8.62

-21.46%

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

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Auburn, CA

$1.6K 49.5%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 50.1% $797

Groceries & Markets

Auburn, CA

$558 17.4%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 36.8% $205

Eating Out

Auburn, CA

$355 11%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 40.3% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auburn, CA

$305 9.5%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 39.2% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Auburn, CA

$191 6%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 37.2% $71

Getting Around

Auburn, CA

$117 3.7%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 25.7% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Auburn, CA

$95 3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 7.7% $7.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,823 in Auburn, CA versus $788 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 355% higher in Auburn, CA, 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 $91.0 in Auburn, CA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $558 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Auburn, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

13:56 1:56 PM

14:56 2:56 PM

1 h ahead of Auburn, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,143

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Auburn, CA Nosara 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Auburn, CA
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

Auburn, CA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,212 in Auburn, CA, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 75% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,818 per month in Auburn, CA and $2,758 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.

Kindergarten costs $2,686 per month in Auburn, CA and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Auburn, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Auburn, CA at $3,212. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auburn, CA 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 $1,839 in Nosara to $3,212 in Auburn, CA. 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.