Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $25,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

189

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lee, NJ
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Fort Lee, NJ Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Fort Lee, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,937

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Fort Lee, NJ $3,937
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,241 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Fort Lee, NJ $6,241
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,546 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Fort Lee, NJ $8,546
Nosara $3,712

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 114% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lee, NJ 194% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 $25.14

$12.22 ₡5,509

105.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 $82.1

$60.2 ₡27.1K

36.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 $11.02

$7.54 ₡3,399

46.15%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.31 ₡1,941

27.15%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$1.72 ₡773

29.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.35 ₡608

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$3.24 ₡1,459

151.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$4.48 ₡2,018

80.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.57 ₡707

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.17 ₡1,429

18.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$2.42 ₡1,091

175.21%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$3.57 ₡1,609

34.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$7.43 ₡3,349

66.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 $11.82

$10.42 ₡4,697

13.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$13.66 ₡6,156

26.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.32 ₡1,044

134.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.61 ₡728

11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$4.74 ₡2,138

36.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$1.66 ₡747

222.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.72 ₡1,679

6.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.57 ₡1,611

9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.10 ₡497

160.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.55 ₡1,149

10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 $11.60

$4.95 ₡2,232

134.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$20.01 ₡9,020

-40.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.79 ₡1,256

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.53 ₡1,589

-43.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.19 ₡537

131.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$72.1 ₡32.5K

92.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.24 ₡1,011

31.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.55 ₡701

34.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.65 $23.65

$8.86 ₡3,993

166.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.57 ₡708

-44.59%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

46.41%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-25.61%

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

$214 $214

$93.5 ₡42.1K

128.90%

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

$74.4 $74.4

$35.11 ₡15.8K

111.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$51.5 ₡23.2K

27.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$71.4 ₡32.2K

74.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$14.61 $14.61

$7.84 ₡3,535

86.35%

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

$1,983 $1,983

$490 ₡220.7K

305.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

103.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.22 $41.22

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-23.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 $56.5

$55.8 ₡25.1K

1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 $77.4

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-2.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 $85.5

$78.9 ₡35.6K

8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$786 ₡354.3K

273.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$780 ₡351.6K

194.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,476 $6,476

$3,860 ₡1.7M

67.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,974 $4,974

$1,407 ₡634.4K

253.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,302 $4,302

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-38.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,810 $3,810

$1,201 ₡541.3K

217.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,520 $6,520

$876 ₡395.0K

643.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

8.62

-21.69%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Lee, NJ

$2.3K 59%

Nosara

$780 43% 66.1% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Fort Lee, NJ

$437 11.2%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 20% $87

Eating Out

Fort Lee, NJ

$372 9.6%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 43.7% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Lee, NJ

$354 9.1%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 49.1% $174

Getting Around

Fort Lee, NJ

$163 4.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 46.7% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Lee, NJ

$154 4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 43.4% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Lee, NJ

$117 3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 2.6% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,933 in Fort Lee, NJ and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 644% 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: $82.0 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $350 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Lee, NJ

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

21:42 9:42 PM

19:42 7:42 PM

2 h behind Fort Lee, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,008

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 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 11, 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

Fort Lee, NJ Nosara 3,620 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Fort Lee, NJ
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

Fort Lee, NJ vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 114% lower than in Fort Lee, NJ. 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 644% higher in Fort Lee, NJ, 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: $2,933 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,937 per month in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 92% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $3,937 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, NJ. 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 $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Lee, NJ 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 114% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.