Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gilbert, AZ and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,781 in Gilbert, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Gilbert, AZ
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Gilbert, AZ Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Gilbert, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,781

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,779 in Gilbert, AZ versus $1,839 in Nosara.

Gilbert, AZ $2,779
Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,933 in Gilbert, AZ versus $2,828 in Nosara.

Gilbert, AZ $3,933
Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,086 in Gilbert, AZ versus $3,818 in Nosara.

Gilbert, AZ $5,086
Nosara $3,818

Living in Gilbert, AZ is roughly 51% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gilbert, AZ 106% above, Nosara 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$12.34 ₡5,535

59.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$61.3 ₡27.5K

24.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 $11.32

$7.76 ₡3,481

45.88%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$4.44 ₡1,992

11.49%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.79 ₡803

48.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.29 ₡580

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 $6.36

$3.24 ₡1,451

96.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 $6.31

$4.43 ₡1,985

42.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.55 ₡696

-34.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.08 ₡1,380

8.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$2.53 ₡1,133

106.72%

Eggs

$3.76 $3.76

$3.45 ₡1,546

8.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$7.32 ₡3,284

61.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 $11.05

$10.24 ₡4,594

7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 $13.38

$14.10 ₡6,326

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.29 ₡1,027

96.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.64 ₡737

20.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.79 ₡2,149

-17.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.64 ₡735

156.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.85 ₡1,727

-34.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.75 ₡1,681

-50.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.09 ₡488

79.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.59 ₡1,160

-16.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.37 $10.37

$5.12 ₡2,295

102.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 $13.74

$19.92 ₡8,931

-31.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.80 ₡1,255

-24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.52 ₡1,580

-5.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.22 ₡549

-19.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.52 $32.52

$73.9 ₡33.1K

-55.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.17 ₡973

25.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.56 ₡698

-10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.46 $36.46

$8.67 ₡3,886

320.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.55 ₡697

-36.77%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

4.92%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-31.00%

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

$183 $183

$94.8 ₡42.5K

93.27%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$36.15 ₡16.2K

73.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$53.1 ₡23.8K

37.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 $60.8

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-17.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$7.91 ₡3,548

51.20%

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

$708 $708

$490 ₡219.9K

44.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K $15.6K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

31.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$54.8 ₡24.6K

-8.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 $44.03

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-21.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 $89.0

$80.4 ₡36.0K

10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$77.9 ₡34.9K

48.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 $1,726

$801 ₡359.1K

115.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 $1,512

$790 ₡354.1K

91.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,827 $2,827

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,282 $2,282

$1,409 ₡632.0K

61.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,296 $5,296

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-25.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,683 $4,683

$1,236 ₡554.3K

278.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,336 $5,336

$887 ₡397.6K

501.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

8.62

-25.29%

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

Last update for Gilbert, AZ: October 20, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gilbert, AZ

$1.5K 54.4%

Nosara

$790 43% 47.8% $722

Groceries & Markets

Gilbert, AZ

$371 13.3%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 5.8% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gilbert, AZ

$319 11.5%

Nosara

$184 10% 42.3% $135

Eating Out

Gilbert, AZ

$313 11.3%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 32.1% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Gilbert, AZ

$135 4.8%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 10.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Gilbert, AZ

$85 3.1%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 5.8% $4.9

Getting Around

Gilbert, AZ

$46 1.7%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 92.2% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,739 in Gilbert, AZ and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gilbert, AZ pays 517% 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: $75.0 in Gilbert, AZ vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $352 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Gilbert, AZ

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

03:59 3:59 AM

1 h ahead of Gilbert, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,453

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 →

On the map

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Between locations

Gilbert, AZ Nosara 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Gilbert, AZ
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

Gilbert, AZ vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Gilbert, AZ. 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 517% higher in Gilbert, AZ, 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: $1,739 in Gilbert, AZ versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $75.0 in Gilbert, AZ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,779 per month in Gilbert, AZ versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,779 in Gilbert, AZ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Gilbert, AZ. 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, Gilbert, AZ 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 51% less than in Gilbert, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.