Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfax, VA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,409 in Fairfax, VA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

168

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

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Fairfax, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,409

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,409 in Fairfax, VA versus $1,839 in Nosara.

Fairfax, VA $3,409
Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,871 in Fairfax, VA versus $2,828 in Nosara.

Fairfax, VA $4,871
Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,333 in Fairfax, VA versus $3,818 in Nosara.

Fairfax, VA $6,333
Nosara $3,818

Living in Fairfax, VA is roughly 85% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfax, VA 153% above, Nosara 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 $18.62

$12.35 ₡5,539

50.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 $94.7

$61.2 ₡27.4K

54.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$7.52 ₡3,373

57.98%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$4.41 ₡1,978

37.64%

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

$3.14 $3.14

$1.74 ₡780

80.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.31 ₡587

103.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.28 ₡1,471

108.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$4.47 ₡2,004

79.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.56 ₡701

-26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.02 ₡1,355

39.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.51 ₡1,125

106.37%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$3.57 ₡1,603

52.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$7.43 ₡3,333

128.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$10.52 ₡4,717

37.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$13.97 ₡6,265

34.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.35 ₡1,052

154.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.61 ₡720

42.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.80 ₡2,152

20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$1.61 ₡724

250.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.80 ₡1,703

-24.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.69 ₡1,657

4.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.13 ₡507

109.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.66 ₡1,191

-0.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 $14.17

$5.18 ₡2,321

173.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$19.88 ₡8,916

-22.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.90 ₡1,300

-9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.63 ₡1,626

25.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.12 ₡504

349.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.1 $70.1

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-3.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.14 ₡958

39.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.57 ₡703

-8.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.92 $23.92

$8.52 ₡3,823

180.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.52 ₡682

-31.58%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

68.40%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-25.69%

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

$207 $207

$96.3 ₡43.2K

115.30%

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

$67.0 $67.0

$35.89 ₡16.1K

86.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 $76.9

$53.6 ₡24.0K

43.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 $73.8

$71.6 ₡32.1K

3.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.45 $25.45

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-27.10%

Cinema Ticket

$18.15 $18.15

$7.89 ₡3,539

130.04%

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

$1,946 $1,946

$494 ₡221.6K

293.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K $34.4K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

190.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 $54.6

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 $92.2

$77.9 ₡34.9K

18.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$79.6 ₡35.7K

40.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,439 $2,439

$788 ₡353.4K

209.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 $1,895

$794 ₡356.2K

138.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 $3,506

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-10.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,903 $2,903

$1,419 ₡636.5K

104.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,545 $5,545

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-19.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,018 $4,018

$1,224 ₡549.0K

228.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,577 $5,577

$864 ₡387.3K

545.77%

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 Fairfax, VA: 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

Fairfax, VA

$1.9K 55.6%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 58.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Fairfax, VA

$481 14.1%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 26.8% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfax, VA

$351 10.3%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 47.1% $165

Eating Out

Fairfax, VA

$331 9.7%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 36% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfax, VA

$140 4.1%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 14.5% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfax, VA

$110 3.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 20.7% $23

Getting Around

Fairfax, VA

$100 2.9%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 13.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,439 in Fairfax, VA and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfax, VA pays 546% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $95.0 in Fairfax, VA vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $352 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfax, VA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:49 2:49 AM

00:49 12:49 AM

2 h behind Fairfax, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,146

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Fairfax, VA Nosara 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Fairfax, 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

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

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 85% lower than in Fairfax, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 546% higher in Fairfax, VA, 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: $2,439 in Fairfax, VA versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Fairfax, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $95.0 in Fairfax, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $3,409 in Fairfax, VA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Fairfax, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fairfax, VA 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.

Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Fairfax, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.