Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fulshear, TX and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,486 in Fulshear, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Fulshear, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,486
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,486 in Fulshear, TX versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • Fulshear, TX $2,486
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,610 in Fulshear, TX versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • Fulshear, TX $3,610
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,734 in Fulshear, TX versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • Fulshear, TX $4,734
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in Fulshear, TX is roughly 35% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fulshear, TX 83% above, Nosara 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.69 $17.69
$12.34 ₡5,535
43.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.7 $69.7
$61.3 ₡27.5K
13.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 $10.90
$7.76 ₡3,481
40.46%
Cappuccino
$5.17 $5.17
$4.44 ₡1,992
16.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.79 ₡803
44.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 $1.73
$1.29 ₡580
34.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.17 $5.17
$3.24 ₡1,451
59.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 $5.91
$4.43 ₡1,985
33.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.55 ₡696
-40.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.21 $2.21
$3.08 ₡1,380
-28.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.44 $4.44
$2.53 ₡1,133
75.49%
Eggs
$2.13 $2.13
$3.45 ₡1,546
-38.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.94 $11.94
$7.32 ₡3,284
63.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.80 $11.80
$10.24 ₡4,594
15.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.36 $13.36
$14.10 ₡6,326
-5.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 $3.81
$2.29 ₡1,027
66.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.64 ₡737
-37.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.30 $4.30
$4.79 ₡2,149
-10.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.64 ₡735
32.32%
Potato (1kg)
$2.57 $2.57
$3.85 ₡1,727
-33.25%
Onion (1kg)
$3.13 $3.13
$3.75 ₡1,681
-16.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.09 ₡488
81.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$2.59 ₡1,160
-10.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.00 $10.00
$5.12 ₡2,295
95.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.17 $15.17
$19.92 ₡8,931
-23.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.80 ₡1,255
-1.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 $3.40
$3.52 ₡1,580
-3.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.88 $1.88
$1.22 ₡549
54.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 $3.49
$2.17 ₡973
60.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.56 ₡698
13.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.48 $24.48
$8.67 ₡3,886
182.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.55 ₡697
-36.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.3K $36.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
5.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K $22.8K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-41.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 $215
$94.8 ₡42.5K
127.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.9 $71.9
$36.15 ₡16.2K
98.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.8 $65.8
$53.1 ₡23.8K
23.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.48 $45.48
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-38.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.22 $14.22
$7.91 ₡3,548
79.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,310 $1,310
$490 ₡219.9K
167.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.0K $19.0K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
60.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.90 $24.90
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-54.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.60 $49.60
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-11.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.2 $66.2
$80.4 ₡36.0K
-17.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 $118
$77.9 ₡34.9K
51.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,361 $1,361
$801 ₡359.1K
69.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 $1,285
$790 ₡354.1K
62.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,867 $2,867
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-28.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,148 $2,148
$1,409 ₡632.0K
52.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 $2,791
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-60.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,547 $2,547
$1,236 ₡554.3K
106.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fulshear, TX
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
8.62
-30.39%

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

Last update for Fulshear, TX: October 17, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fulshear, TX
$1.3K
Nosara
$790 38.6% $496
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fulshear, TX
$353
Nosara
$184 47.9% $169
Groceries & Markets
Fulshear, TX
$346
Nosara
$350 1% $3.5
Eating Out
Fulshear, TX
$291
Nosara
$213 27% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Fulshear, TX
$116
Nosara
$121 3.9% $4.6
Sport & Entertainment
Fulshear, TX
$74
Nosara
$90 21.2% $16
Getting Around
Fulshear, TX
$20 *
Nosara
$89 347% $69

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 $1,361 in Fulshear, TX and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Fulshear, TX vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $346 vs $350, with Fulshear, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Fulshear, TX
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
09:42 9:42 AM
08:42 8:42 AM
1 h behind Fulshear, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,000
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fulshear, TX Nosara 2,440 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Fulshear, TX
  • 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
Fulshear, TX vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fulshear, TX or Nosara?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Fulshear, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Fulshear, TX and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $3,729 in Fulshear, TX and $2,753 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Fulshear, TX compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,361 in Fulshear, TX versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Fulshear, TX or in Nosara?
Shoppers in Fulshear, TX pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Fulshear, TX compared to Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $2,486 per month in Fulshear, TX versus $1,835 in Nosara – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Fulshear, TX or in Nosara?
At $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,486 in Fulshear, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Fulshear, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fulshear, TX or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Fulshear, TX compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Fulshear, TX 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Fulshear, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Fulshear, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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