Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,846 a month against $3,010 in Bellingham, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

145

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
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Bellingham, WA Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,010

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,846

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,010 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $1,846 in Nosara, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $3,010
Nosara $1,846

A couple spends around $4,448 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $2,833 in Nosara, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $4,448
Nosara $2,833

A family of three spends $5,886 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $3,820 in Nosara, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $5,886
Nosara $3,820

Bellingham, WA costs about 63% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bellingham, WA and Nosara sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 121%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 $24.70

$12.36 ₡5,575

99.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$60.8 ₡27.4K

66.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 $13.26

$7.88 ₡3,557

68.27%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$4.40 ₡1,986

35.00%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$1.72 ₡776

83.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.34 ₡603

63.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.34 ₡1,505

105.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$4.54 ₡2,048

51.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.64 ₡739

-31.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.16 ₡1,426

20.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.39 ₡1,080

105.44%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$3.47 ₡1,564

42.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.80 $18.80

$7.13 ₡3,217

163.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.61 $18.61

$10.32 ₡4,655

80.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.00 $23.00

$13.97 ₡6,302

64.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.29 ₡1,031

124.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.62 ₡731

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$4.81 ₡2,169

10.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$1.68 ₡758

276.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.91 ₡1,765

-7.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.63 ₡1,640

-12.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.13 ₡509

125.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.63 ₡1,188

-6.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.44 $12.44

$5.02 ₡2,267

147.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$19.71 ₡8,893

-24.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.91 ₡1,314

-39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 $5.74

$3.54 ₡1,597

62.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.21 ₡545

64.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.51 $30.51

$73.8 ₡33.3K

-58.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.15 ₡969

24.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.63 ₡738

4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.27 $30.27

$8.77 ₡3,958

245.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.55 ₡700

-7.10%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$33.9K ₡15.3M

-18.81%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$38.5K ₡17.4M

-33.15%

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

$217 $217

$95.2 ₡43.0K

128.03%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$36.29 ₡16.4K

58.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$52.0 ₡23.5K

56.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 $62.0

$67.6 ₡30.5K

-8.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$35.55 ₡16.0K

-58.31%

Cinema Ticket

$18.31 $18.31

$7.54 ₡3,404

142.84%

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

$1,125 $1,125

$496 ₡224.0K

126.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$11.8K ₡5.3M

169.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 $80.5

$55.1 ₡24.9K

46.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 $28.32

$56.1 ₡25.3K

-49.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$77.8 ₡35.1K

39.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$79.1 ₡35.7K

88.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$817 ₡368.9K

108.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 $1,458

$806 ₡363.6K

80.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,598 $2,598

$3,988 ₡1.8M

-34.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$1,429 ₡644.9K

64.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 $4,441

$7,068 ₡3.2M

-37.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,925 $3,925

$1,197 ₡540.1K

227.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,391 $4,391

$888 ₡400.7K

394.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

8.62

-22.51%

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

Last update for Bellingham, WA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellingham, WA

$1.5K 48.4%

Nosara

$806 43.7% 44.7% $652

Groceries & Markets

Bellingham, WA

$505 16.8%

Nosara

$351 19% 30.4% $154

Eating Out

Bellingham, WA

$378 12.6%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 43.6% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellingham, WA

$356 11.8%

Nosara

$184 9.9% 48.4% $172

Clothing & Footwear

Bellingham, WA

$165 5.5%

Nosara

$121 6.5% 27% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Bellingham, WA

$99 3.3%

Nosara

$83 4.5% 16.2% $16

Getting Around

Bellingham, WA

$50 1.7%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 79% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Bellingham, WA versus $817 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 in Bellingham, WA are about 4.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bellingham, WA versus $61 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 vs $351 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

14:02 2:02 PM

15:02 3:02 PM

1 h ahead of Bellingham, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

91,482

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 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 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bellingham, WA Nosara 5,500 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Bellingham, WA
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

Bellingham, WA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bellingham, WA costs about 63% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,515 per month in Bellingham, WA and $2,769 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $817 there versus $1,707 in Bellingham, WA.

Kindergarten costs $1,125 per month in Bellingham, WA and $496 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Bellingham, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,846, than in Bellingham, WA at $3,010. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bellingham, WA 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bellingham, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.