Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chesapeake, VA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,606 in Chesapeake, VA, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Chesapeake, VA
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Chesapeake, VA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Chesapeake, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,606

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,606 per month in Chesapeake, VA vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Chesapeake, VA $2,606
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,723 per month in Chesapeake, VA vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Chesapeake, VA $3,723
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $4,839 per month in Chesapeake, VA vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Chesapeake, VA $4,839
Nosara $3,712

Chesapeake, VA costs about 42% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chesapeake, VA and Nosara sit above the global median – Chesapeake, VA by 95%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 $20.15

$12.22 ₡5,509

64.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 $94.4

$60.2 ₡27.1K

56.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$7.54 ₡3,399

43.37%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.31 ₡1,941

31.32%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.72 ₡773

29.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.35 ₡608

51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.24 ₡1,459

84.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 $6.53

$4.48 ₡2,018

45.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.57 ₡707

-40.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.17 ₡1,429

24.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.42 ₡1,091

25.62%

Eggs

$3.38 $3.38

$3.57 ₡1,609

-5.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$7.43 ₡3,349

94.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 $7.98

$10.42 ₡4,697

-23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.53 $17.53

$13.66 ₡6,156

28.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.32 ₡1,044

116.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.61 ₡728

-34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.74 ₡2,138

-7.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.66 ₡747

163.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.72 ₡1,679

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.57 ₡1,611

-19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.10 ₡497

41.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.55 ₡1,149

-16.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$4.95 ₡2,232

99.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$20.01 ₡9,020

-26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.79 ₡1,256

-36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.53 ₡1,589

-21.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.19 ₡537

69.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 $69.8

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-3.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.24 ₡1,011

37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.55 ₡701

-22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 $17.68

$8.86 ₡3,993

99.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.57 ₡708

-42.04%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

66.70%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-25.81%

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

$191 $191

$93.5 ₡42.1K

104.24%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$35.11 ₡15.8K

62.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$51.5 ₡23.2K

27.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.24 $46.24

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-35.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$12.78 $12.78

$7.84 ₡3,535

63.01%

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

$1,514 $1,514

$490 ₡220.7K

209.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K $18.7K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

57.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.69 $40.69

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-24.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.68 $19.68

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-64.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 $74.0

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-6.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$78.9 ₡35.6K

32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 $1,805

$786 ₡354.3K

129.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 $1,393

$780 ₡351.6K

78.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 $2,215

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-42.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 $1,875

$1,407 ₡634.4K

33.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,808 $1,808

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-74.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 $1,595

$1,201 ₡541.3K

32.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,316 $4,316

$876 ₡395.0K

392.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

8.62

-24.71%

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

Last update for Chesapeake, VA: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chesapeake, VA

$1.4K 52.3%

Nosara

$780 43% 44% $613

Groceries & Markets

Chesapeake, VA

$372 13.9%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 6% $22

Eating Out

Chesapeake, VA

$322 12.1%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 34.9% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chesapeake, VA

$314 11.8%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 42.6% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Chesapeake, VA

$108 4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 11.9% $13

Getting Around

Chesapeake, VA

$87 3.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 0.2% $0.1

Sport & Entertainment

Chesapeake, VA

$72 2.7%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 21.3% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,805 in Chesapeake, VA 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 392% higher in Chesapeake, VA, 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 $94.0 in Chesapeake, VA versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chesapeake, VA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

16:00 4:00 PM

14:00 2:00 PM

2 h behind Chesapeake, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

249,422

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

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chesapeake, VA Nosara 3,120 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chesapeake, VA
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

Chesapeake, VA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chesapeake, VA is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,910 per month in Chesapeake, VA 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,514 per month in Chesapeake, VA and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chesapeake, VA, 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 $1,837, than in Chesapeake, VA at $2,606. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chesapeake, VA 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, Chesapeake, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.