Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fullerton, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Fullerton, CA
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Fullerton, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,507

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,507 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $3,507
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $5,392 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $5,392
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $7,276 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $7,276
Nosara $3,814

Fullerton, CA costs about 91% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fullerton, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – Fullerton, CA by 159%, Nosara by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.09 $25.09

$12.34 ₡5,535

103.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$61.3 ₡27.5K

28.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$7.76 ₡3,481

46.26%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$4.44 ₡1,992

28.83%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$1.79 ₡803

56.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.29 ₡580

58.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$3.24 ₡1,451

143.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.43 ₡1,985

121.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.55 ₡696

-9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.08 ₡1,380

65.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.53 ₡1,133

71.54%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.45 ₡1,546

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$7.32 ₡3,284

67.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$10.24 ₡4,594

-15.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.10 ₡6,326

11.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.29 ₡1,027

105.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.64 ₡737

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.79 ₡2,149

-16.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$1.64 ₡735

290.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.85 ₡1,727

-7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.75 ₡1,681

-11.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.09 ₡488

93.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.59 ₡1,160

-1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$5.12 ₡2,295

127.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.13 $15.13

$19.92 ₡8,931

-24.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.80 ₡1,255

-37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.52 ₡1,580

-7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.22 ₡549

88.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$73.9 ₡33.1K

-12.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.17 ₡973

104.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.56 ₡698

21.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.21 $36.21

$8.67 ₡3,886

317.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.55 ₡697

-4.52%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-21.17%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-32.26%

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

$213 $213

$94.8 ₡42.5K

124.53%

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

$84.5 $84.5

$36.15 ₡16.2K

133.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$53.1 ₡23.8K

37.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.78 $40.78

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-44.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 $12.13

$7.91 ₡3,548

53.35%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$490 ₡219.9K

183.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.3K $43.3K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

264.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 $75.0

$54.8 ₡24.6K

36.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 $40.26

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-27.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$80.4 ₡36.0K

9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$77.9 ₡34.9K

53.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 $2,588

$801 ₡359.1K

223.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 $2,043

$790 ₡354.1K

158.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 $4,005

$4,005 ₡1.8M

0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,069 $4,069

$1,409 ₡632.0K

188.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,472 $5,472

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-22.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,578 $4,578

$887 ₡397.6K

416.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

8.62

-26.80%

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

Last update for Fullerton, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fullerton, CA

$2K 58.3%

Nosara

$790 43% 61.4% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Fullerton, CA

$413 11.8%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 15.4% $64

Eating Out

Fullerton, CA

$382 10.9%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 44.3% $169

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fullerton, CA

$371 10.6%

Nosara

$184 10% 50.3% $187

Clothing & Footwear

Fullerton, CA

$146 4.2%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 16.9% $25

Getting Around

Fullerton, CA

$88 2.5%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 1.3% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Fullerton, CA

$65 1.9%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 37.8% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,588 in Fullerton, CA versus $801 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 416% higher in Fullerton, CA, 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 $79.0 in Fullerton, CA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

12:11 12:11 PM

13:11 1:11 PM

1 h ahead of Fullerton, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

135,161

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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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 →

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Fullerton, CA Nosara 4,230 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Fullerton, CA
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

Fullerton, CA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 91% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,260 per month in Fullerton, CA and $2,753 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 $1,391 per month in Fullerton, CA 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 18% more in Fullerton, CA, 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 $1,835, than in Fullerton, CA at $3,507. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fullerton, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Fullerton, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $3,507 in Fullerton, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Fullerton, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.