Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $3,660 in Glendale, CA, rent and utilities included – about $21,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

177

Cost of Living Index in Glendale, CA
Learn more

Glendale, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Glendale, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,660

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,660 in Glendale, CA versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Glendale, CA $3,660
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,572 in Glendale, CA versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Glendale, CA $4,572
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,484 in Glendale, CA versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Glendale, CA $5,484
Nosara $3,712

Living in Glendale, CA is roughly 99% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Glendale, CA 173% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.31 $25.31

$12.22 ₡5,509

107.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 $77.7

$60.2 ₡27.1K

29.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.98 $14.98

$7.54 ₡3,399

98.67%

Cappuccino

$5.99 $5.99

$4.31 ₡1,941

38.98%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$1.72 ₡773

81.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.35 ₡608

72.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 $7.30

$3.24 ₡1,459

125.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 $9.95

$4.48 ₡2,018

122.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.57 ₡707

-10.83%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.17 ₡1,429

47.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.42 ₡1,091

87.19%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$3.57 ₡1,609

66.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 $11.51

$7.43 ₡3,349

54.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 $8.60

$10.42 ₡4,697

-17.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.76 $19.76

$13.66 ₡6,156

44.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.32 ₡1,044

109.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.61 ₡728

37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.74 ₡2,138

-13.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$1.66 ₡747

246.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.72 ₡1,679

-14.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.57 ₡1,611

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.10 ₡497

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.58 $11.58

$4.95 ₡2,232

133.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$20.01 ₡9,020

-26.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.79 ₡1,256

-12.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.53 ₡1,589

-24.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.19 ₡537

66.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.3 $90.3

$72.1 ₡32.5K

25.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.24 ₡1,011

38.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.55 ₡701

17.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.37 $32.37

$8.86 ₡3,993

265.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.57 ₡708

-1.27%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

69.36%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-25.42%

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

$220 $220

$93.5 ₡42.1K

134.88%

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

$78.7 $78.7

$35.11 ₡15.8K

124.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 $72.7

$51.5 ₡23.2K

41.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.01 $39.01

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-45.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$19.61 $19.61

$7.84 ₡3,535

150.13%

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

$1,159 $1,159

$490 ₡220.7K

136.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K $32.4K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

172.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$53.5 ₡24.1K

16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.28 $48.28

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-13.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$79.3 ₡35.7K

48.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$196 $196

$78.9 ₡35.6K

149.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 $1,577

$786 ₡354.3K

100.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 $2,051

$780 ₡351.6K

163.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,514 $2,514

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-34.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$1,407 ₡634.4K

50.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 $2,423

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-65.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,235 $2,235

$1,201 ₡541.3K

86.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,078 $5,078

$876 ₡395.0K

479.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

8.62

-24.25%

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

Last update for Glendale, CA: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Glendale, CA

$2.1K 56.6%

Nosara

$780 43% 62% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Glendale, CA

$423 11.7%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 17.4% $74

Eating Out

Glendale, CA

$398 11%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 47.3% $188

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Glendale, CA

$371 10.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 51.4% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Glendale, CA

$191 5.3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 37% $71

Getting Around

Glendale, CA

$110 3.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 21.4% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Glendale, CA

$78 2.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 11.3% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,577 in Glendale, CA and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, CA pays 480% 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: $78.0 in Glendale, CA vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $423 vs $350 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Glendale, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

20:11 8:11 PM

21:11 9:11 PM

1 h ahead of Glendale, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,831

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Glendale, CA Nosara 4,270 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Glendale, 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

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

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 480% higher in Glendale, CA, 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: $1,577 in Glendale, CA versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 25% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,159 in Glendale, CA versus $490 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $3,660 in Glendale, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Glendale, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Glendale, CA 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 99% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.