Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belleville, IL and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,265 in Belleville, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Belleville, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,265
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,265 per month in Belleville, IL vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Belleville, IL $2,265
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $3,396 per month in Belleville, IL vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Belleville, IL $3,396
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $4,526 per month in Belleville, IL vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Belleville, IL $4,526
  • Nosara $3,818

Belleville, IL costs about 23% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Belleville, IL and Nosara sit above the global median – Belleville, IL by 68%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 $17.89
$12.35 ₡5,539
44.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.4 $65.4
$61.2 ₡27.4K
6.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 $9.26
$7.52 ₡3,373
23.14%
Cappuccino
$4.16 $4.16
$4.41 ₡1,978
-5.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$1.74 ₡780
25.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.31 ₡587
29.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.62 $4.62
$3.28 ₡1,471
40.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.04 $5.04
$4.47 ₡2,004
12.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.56 ₡701
-36.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 $2.31
$3.02 ₡1,355
-23.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.53 $3.53
$2.51 ₡1,125
40.64%
Eggs
$3.92 $3.92
$3.57 ₡1,603
9.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.89 $11.89
$7.43 ₡3,333
60.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.28 $15.28
$10.52 ₡4,717
45.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.11 $13.11
$13.97 ₡6,265
-6.16%
Apples (1kg)
$6.94 $6.94
$2.35 ₡1,052
195.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.61 ₡720
40.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$4.80 ₡2,152
-9.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.61 ₡724
132.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 $1.68
$3.80 ₡1,703
-55.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 $2.15
$3.69 ₡1,657
-41.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.13 ₡507
56.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$2.66 ₡1,191
-13.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.87 $7.87
$5.18 ₡2,321
51.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.86 $14.86
$19.88 ₡8,916
-25.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.90 ₡1,300
-26.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 $2.96
$3.63 ₡1,626
-18.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.12 ₡504
-8.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.2 $77.2
$72.6 ₡32.6K
6.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 $3.53
$2.14 ₡958
64.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.57 ₡703
59.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.79 $17.79
$8.52 ₡3,823
108.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.52 ₡682
-38.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1K $37.1K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
71.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K $24.4K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-29.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$242 $242
$96.3 ₡43.2K
151.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.9 $68.9
$35.89 ₡16.1K
92.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.3 $66.3
$53.6 ₡24.0K
23.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.69 $35.69
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-50.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.50 $30.50
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-12.63%
Cinema Ticket
$14.19 $14.19
$7.89 ₡3,539
79.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,053 $1,053
$494 ₡221.6K
113.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K $12.5K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
5.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 $58.1
$53.9 ₡24.2K
7.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.73 $24.73
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-55.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.5 $88.5
$77.9 ₡34.9K
13.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$79.6 ₡35.7K
31.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,284 $1,284
$788 ₡353.4K
62.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$944 $944
$794 ₡356.2K
18.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,091 $2,091
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-46.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 $1,681
$1,419 ₡636.5K
18.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,430 $2,430
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-64.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,882 $1,882
$1,224 ₡549.0K
53.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belleville, IL
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,389 $6,389
$864 ₡387.3K
639.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.72
8.62
-22.04%

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

Last update for Belleville, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belleville, IL
$944
Nosara
$794 15.9% $150
Groceries & Markets
Belleville, IL
$389
Nosara
$352 9.4% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belleville, IL
$377
Nosara
$186 50.7% $191
Eating Out
Belleville, IL
$270
Nosara
$212 21.4% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Belleville, IL
$124
Nosara
$120 3.3% $4
Getting Around
Belleville, IL
$97
Nosara
$87 10.6% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Belleville, IL
$64
Nosara
$87 36.4% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,284 in Belleville, IL 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 640% higher in Belleville, IL, 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 $65.0 in Belleville, IL versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Belleville, IL
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
21:36 9:36 PM
20:36 8:36 PM
1 h behind Belleville, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
42,404
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belleville, IL Nosara 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Belleville, IL
  • 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
Belleville, IL vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Belleville, IL or Nosara?
Belleville, IL costs about 23% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Belleville, IL and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,398 per month in Belleville, IL and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Belleville, IL or 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.
How do childcare costs compare in Belleville, IL and in Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $1,053 per month in Belleville, IL and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Belleville, IL or in Nosara?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Belleville, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Belleville, IL or in Nosara?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Belleville, IL at $2,265. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belleville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Belleville, IL or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,839 versus $2,265 in Belleville, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Belleville, IL compared to Nosara?
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.
Should I move to Belleville, IL or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belleville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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