Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hot Springs, AR and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Hot Springs, AR: $1,710 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

83

Cost of Living Index in Hot Springs, AR
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Hot Springs, AR Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Hot Springs, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,710

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,710 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Hot Springs, AR $1,710
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,571 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Hot Springs, AR $2,571
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,432 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Hot Springs, AR $3,432
Nosara $3,818

Hot Springs, AR is about 7% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hot Springs, AR and Nosara sit above the global median – Hot Springs, AR by 27%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 $16.17

$12.35 ₡5,539

30.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$61.2 ₡27.4K

12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 $9.35

$7.52 ₡3,373

24.34%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$4.41 ₡1,978

13.83%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$1.74 ₡780

59.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.31 ₡587

16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.28 ₡1,471

48.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 $6.01

$4.47 ₡2,004

34.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.56 ₡701

-41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.02 ₡1,355

-1.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.51 ₡1,125

-19.12%

Eggs

$2.31 $2.31

$3.57 ₡1,603

-35.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 $10.88

$7.43 ₡3,333

46.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$10.52 ₡4,717

21.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.27 $19.27

$13.97 ₡6,265

37.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.35 ₡1,052

53.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.61 ₡720

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$4.80 ₡2,152

-22.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.61 ₡724

131.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.80 ₡1,703

-52.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.69 ₡1,657

-26.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.13 ₡507

107.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.66 ₡1,191

-59.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.54 $8.54

$5.18 ₡2,321

64.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 $18.84

$19.88 ₡8,916

-5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.90 ₡1,300

-11.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.63 ₡1,626

25.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.12 ₡504

8.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 $28.39

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-60.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.14 ₡958

27.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.57 ₡703

40.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.52 ₡682

-42.76%

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

$16.8K $16.8K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

-22.42%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-33.07%

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

$179 $179

$96.3 ₡43.2K

85.74%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$35.89 ₡16.1K

56.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.40 $39.40

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-26.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.69 $34.69

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-51.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 $9.92

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-71.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.13 $10.13

$7.89 ₡3,539

28.39%

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

$593 $593

$494 ₡221.6K

20.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.76 $40.76

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-24.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 $40.11

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-27.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$77.9 ₡34.9K

30.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 $78.7

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 $722

$788 ₡353.4K

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 $582

$794 ₡356.2K

-26.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 $1,088

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-72.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 $905

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-36.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,950 $1,950

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-71.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 $1,942

$1,224 ₡549.0K

58.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,532 $3,532

$864 ₡387.3K

308.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

8.62

-24.71%

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

Last update for Hot Springs, AR: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hot Springs, AR

$582 34%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 36.5% $212

Groceries & Markets

Hot Springs, AR

$363 21.2%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 3% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hot Springs, AR

$274 16%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 32.3% $89

Eating Out

Hot Springs, AR

$271 15.9%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 21.9% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Hot Springs, AR

$118 6.9%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 2.1% $2.5

Sport & Entertainment

Hot Springs, AR

$55 3.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 59% $32

Getting Around

Hot Springs, AR

$47 2.8%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 85.2% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $722 in Hot Springs, AR versus $788 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 309% higher in Hot Springs, AR, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Hot Springs, AR versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hot Springs, AR

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:29 2:29 AM

01:29 1:29 AM

1 h behind Hot Springs, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,930

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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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Highest

Between locations

Hot Springs, AR Nosara 2,830 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Hot Springs, AR
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

Hot Springs, AR vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 8% more than Hot Springs, AR, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,565 per month in Hot Springs, AR and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hot Springs, AR, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $593 per month in Hot Springs, AR and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hot Springs, AR, where all-in costs run around $1,710, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Hot Springs, AR it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hot Springs, AR costs $1,710 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Hot Springs, AR. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.