Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elkhart, IN and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Elkhart, IN and in Nosara: $1,832 and $1,837 a month, rent and utilities included.

91

Cost of Living Index in Elkhart, IN
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Elkhart, IN Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Elkhart, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,832

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,832 in Elkhart, IN versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Elkhart, IN $1,832
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Elkhart, IN versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Elkhart, IN $2,697
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,562 in Elkhart, IN versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Elkhart, IN $3,562
Nosara $3,712

Monthly costs are close between Elkhart, IN and Nosara; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elkhart, IN 37% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.07 $10.07

$12.22 ₡5,509

-17.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.92 $39.92

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-33.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.54 ₡3,399

34.75%

Cappuccino

$1.70 $1.70

$4.31 ₡1,941

-60.56%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$1.72 ₡773

66.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.35 ₡608

15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.24 ₡1,459

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 $5.54

$4.48 ₡2,018

23.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.57 ₡707

-50.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 $1.24

$3.17 ₡1,429

-60.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.42 ₡1,091

-17.36%

Eggs

$2.84 $2.84

$3.57 ₡1,609

-20.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$7.43 ₡3,349

-37.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$10.42 ₡4,697

59.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$13.66 ₡6,156

10.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.32 ₡1,044

43.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.61 ₡728

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$4.74 ₡2,138

-67.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.66 ₡747

-18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 $0.46

$3.72 ₡1,679

-87.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.57 ₡1,611

-37.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.10 ₡497

39.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.55 ₡1,149

16.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.25 $8.25

$4.95 ₡2,232

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 $11.87

$20.01 ₡9,020

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.79 ₡1,256

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.53 ₡1,589

39.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.66 $24.66

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-65.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.13 $10.13

$2.24 ₡1,011

352.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.55 ₡701

104.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.86 ₡3,993

14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.57 ₡708

-44.59%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

57.40%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-28.08%

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

$234 $234

$93.5 ₡42.1K

150.88%

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

$63.8 $63.8

$35.11 ₡15.8K

81.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 $51.8

$51.5 ₡23.2K

0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.90 $14.90

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-79.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.08 $5.08

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-85.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 $11.07

$7.84 ₡3,535

41.20%

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

$657 $657

$490 ₡220.7K

34.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.06 $35.06

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-34.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.28 $15.28

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-72.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 $66.5

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$993 $993

$786 ₡354.3K

26.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$865 $865

$780 ₡351.6K

10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 $1,516

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-60.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 $1,475

$1,407 ₡634.4K

4.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,837 $6,837

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-1.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,331 $4,331

$1,201 ₡541.3K

260.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,430 $3,430

$876 ₡395.0K

291.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

8.62

-25.87%

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

Last update for Elkhart, IN: 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

Elkhart, IN

$865 45.9%

Nosara

$780 43% 9.9% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elkhart, IN

$350 18.6%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 48.6% $170

Groceries & Markets

Elkhart, IN

$313 16.6%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 11.5% $36

Eating Out

Elkhart, IN

$179 9.5%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 16.9% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Elkhart, IN

$88 4.7%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 36.7% $32

Getting Around

Elkhart, IN

$51 * 2.7%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 71.5% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Elkhart, IN

$37 2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 135% $50

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $993 in Elkhart, IN and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elkhart, IN pays 291% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $40.00 in Elkhart, IN vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $350 per month, with Elkhart, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elkhart, IN

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:42 4:42 AM

02:42 2:42 AM

2 h behind Elkhart, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,748

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 = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Elkhart, IN Nosara 3,530 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Elkhart, IN
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

Elkhart, IN vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 291% higher in Elkhart, IN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $993 in Elkhart, IN versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Elkhart, IN runs roughly 192% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,832 in Elkhart, IN versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Elkhart, IN but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Elkhart, IN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Elkhart, IN and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Elkhart, IN wins on affordability, Nosara on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.