Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goldsboro, NC and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $1,942 in Goldsboro, NC, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Goldsboro, NC
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Goldsboro, NC Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Goldsboro, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$1,942

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,942 in Goldsboro, NC versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Goldsboro, NC $1,942
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,747 in Goldsboro, NC versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Goldsboro, NC $2,747
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,553 in Goldsboro, NC versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Goldsboro, NC $3,553
Nosara $3,712

Living in Goldsboro, NC is roughly 6% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Goldsboro, NC 45% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 $15.18

$12.22 ₡5,509

24.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 $52.7

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-12.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 $9.30

$7.54 ₡3,399

23.34%

Cappuccino

$4.19 $4.19

$4.31 ₡1,941

-2.78%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$1.72 ₡773

23.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.35 ₡608

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.24 ₡1,459

8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 $4.88

$4.48 ₡2,018

8.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.57 ₡707

-38.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.17 ₡1,429

10.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.42 ₡1,091

73.55%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.57 ₡1,609

35.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 $13.12

$7.43 ₡3,349

76.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 $9.18

$10.42 ₡4,697

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$13.66 ₡6,156

19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.32 ₡1,044

62.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.61 ₡728

27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.74 ₡2,138

-28.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.66 ₡747

186.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.72 ₡1,679

-7.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.57 ₡1,611

-11.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.10 ₡497

96.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.55 ₡1,149

9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 $7.11

$4.95 ₡2,232

43.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 $14.11

$20.01 ₡9,020

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.79 ₡1,256

-40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.53 ₡1,589

24.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 $7.10

$2.24 ₡1,011

216.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.55 ₡701

43.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.73 $14.73

$8.86 ₡3,993

66.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.57 ₡708

-50.32%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

15.28%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-33.01%

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

$121 $121

$93.5 ₡42.1K

29.79%

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

$48.46 $48.46

$35.11 ₡15.8K

38.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.62 $44.62

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-13.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.45 $44.45

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-37.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 $12.10

$7.84 ₡3,535

54.34%

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

$1,202 $1,202

$490 ₡220.7K

145.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.80 $38.80

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-27.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.57 $31.57

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-43.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 $84.6

$79.3 ₡35.7K

6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 $69.7

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 $1,245

$786 ₡354.3K

58.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 $857

$780 ₡351.6K

9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 $1,716

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-55.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 $1,244

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-11.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,777 $1,777

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-74.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,734 $1,734

$1,201 ₡541.3K

44.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,334 $5,334

$876 ₡395.0K

508.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

8.62

-22.51%

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

Last update for Goldsboro, NC: 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

Goldsboro, NC

$857 45.4%

Nosara

$780 43% 9% $77

Groceries & Markets

Goldsboro, NC

$387 20.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 9.8% $38

Eating Out

Goldsboro, NC

$242 12.8%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 13.3% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Goldsboro, NC

$214 11.4%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 16% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Goldsboro, NC

$101 5.4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 19.1% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Goldsboro, NC

$69 3.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 26.9% $18

Getting Around

Goldsboro, NC

$18 * 1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 376% $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 $1,245 in Goldsboro, NC and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Goldsboro, NC pays 509% 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: $53.0 in Goldsboro, NC vs $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $387 vs $350, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Goldsboro, NC

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

23:13 11:13 PM

21:13 9:13 PM

2 h behind Goldsboro, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,203

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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Highest

Between locations

Goldsboro, NC Nosara 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Goldsboro, NC
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

Goldsboro, NC vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 509% higher in Goldsboro, NC, 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: $1,245 in Goldsboro, NC versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Goldsboro, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,942 per month in Goldsboro, NC versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $1,942 in Goldsboro, NC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Goldsboro, NC. 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 Goldsboro, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Goldsboro, NC 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 6% less than in Goldsboro, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.