Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bonney Lake, WA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,663 in Bonney Lake, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bonney Lake, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,663 per month in Bonney Lake, WA vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bonney Lake, WA $2,663
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,872 per month in Bonney Lake, WA vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bonney Lake, WA $3,872
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,080 per month in Bonney Lake, WA vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Bonney Lake, WA $5,080
  • Nosara $3,712

Bonney Lake, WA costs about 45% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bonney Lake, WA and Nosara sit above the global median – Bonney Lake, WA by 99%, Nosara by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.17 $25.17
$12.22 ₡5,509
105.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 $68.1
$60.2 ₡27.1K
13.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.08 $12.08
$7.54 ₡3,399
60.21%
Cappuccino
$5.76 $5.76
$4.31 ₡1,941
33.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.72 ₡773
63.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 $1.67
$1.35 ₡608
23.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.93 $6.93
$3.24 ₡1,459
113.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.85 $6.85
$4.48 ₡2,018
52.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.57 ₡707
-31.21%
White Bread (500g)
$4.04 $4.04
$3.17 ₡1,429
27.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.42 ₡1,091
26.45%
Eggs
$5.09 $5.09
$3.57 ₡1,609
42.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.20 $16.20
$7.43 ₡3,349
118.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.48 $10.48
$10.42 ₡4,697
0.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.51 $16.51
$13.66 ₡6,156
20.86%
Apples (1kg)
$4.92 $4.92
$2.32 ₡1,044
112.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.61 ₡728
1.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$4.74 ₡2,138
-17.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.47 $4.47
$1.66 ₡747
169.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$3.72 ₡1,679
-27.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.43 $2.43
$3.57 ₡1,611
-31.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.10 ₡497
60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$2.55 ₡1,149
-10.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.03 $12.03
$4.95 ₡2,232
143.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.90 $14.90
$20.01 ₡9,020
-25.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.79 ₡1,256
-36.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$3.53 ₡1,589
-30.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.19 ₡537
69.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.55 $2.55
$2.24 ₡1,011
13.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.55 ₡701
9.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.53 $30.53
$8.86 ₡3,993
244.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 $1.33
$1.57 ₡708
-15.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K $35.6K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
63.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-25.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$93.5 ₡42.1K
145.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$91.0 $91.0
$35.11 ₡15.8K
159.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.4 $88.4
$51.5 ₡23.2K
71.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.76 $26.76
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-62.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.81 $16.81
$7.84 ₡3,535
114.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,442 $1,442
$490 ₡220.7K
194.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.6K $32.6K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
174.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0 $60.0
$53.5 ₡24.1K
11.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.10 $45.10
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-19.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.2 $85.2
$79.3 ₡35.7K
7.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$78.9 ₡35.6K
31.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,590 $1,590
$786 ₡354.3K
102.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,298 $1,298
$780 ₡351.6K
66.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,545 $2,545
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-34.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,123 $2,123
$1,407 ₡634.4K
50.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,780 $2,780
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-60.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,357 $2,357
$1,201 ₡541.3K
96.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bonney Lake, WA
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$876 ₡395.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.09
8.62
-29.35%

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

Last update for Bonney Lake, WA: 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
Bonney Lake, WA
$1.3K
Nosara
$780 39.9% $518
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bonney Lake, WA
$409
Nosara
$180 55.9% $229
Groceries & Markets
Bonney Lake, WA
$398
Nosara
$350 12.1% $48
Eating Out
Bonney Lake, WA
$373
Nosara
$209 43.8% $164
Clothing & Footwear
Bonney Lake, WA
$132
Nosara
$120 9% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Bonney Lake, WA
$60
Nosara
$87 44.2% $27
Getting Around
Bonney Lake, WA
$19 *
Nosara
$87 355% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,590 in Bonney Lake, WA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Bonney Lake, WA versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Bonney Lake, WA
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
05:04 5:04 AM
06:04 6:04 AM
1 h ahead of Bonney Lake, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
22,487
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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 = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bonney Lake, WA Nosara 5,370 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bonney Lake, 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
Bonney Lake, WA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Bonney Lake, WA?
Yes – Bonney Lake, WA is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,995 per month in Bonney Lake, WA and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Bonney Lake, WA and in Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,663 in Bonney Lake, WA and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 45%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,442 per month in Bonney Lake, WA and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Bonney Lake, WA or in Nosara?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Bonney Lake, WA at $2,663. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bonney Lake, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bonney Lake, WA or Nosara more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Bonney Lake, WA or 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bonney Lake, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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