Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
Learn more

Indianapolis, IN Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,750

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Indianapolis, IN $2,750
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,871 in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Indianapolis, IN $3,871
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Indianapolis, IN versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Indianapolis, IN $4,993
Nosara $3,712

Living in Indianapolis, IN is roughly 50% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Indianapolis, IN 105% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$12.22 ₡5,509

62.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$60.2 ₡27.1K

33.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$7.54 ₡3,399

59.95%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$4.31 ₡1,941

33.64%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$1.72 ₡773

83.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.35 ₡608

96.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.24 ₡1,459

89.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$4.48 ₡2,018

79.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.57 ₡707

-45.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.17 ₡1,429

7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.42 ₡1,091

95.45%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$3.57 ₡1,609

5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$7.43 ₡3,349

65.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$10.42 ₡4,697

18.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$13.66 ₡6,156

26.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$2.32 ₡1,044

143.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.61 ₡728

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.74 ₡2,138

-0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.66 ₡747

162.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.72 ₡1,679

-34.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.57 ₡1,611

-20.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.10 ₡497

123.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.55 ₡1,149

-3.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.29 $10.29

$4.95 ₡2,232

107.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 $15.51

$20.01 ₡9,020

-22.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.79 ₡1,256

-26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.53 ₡1,589

1.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.19 ₡537

49.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-17.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.24 ₡1,011

-8.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.55 ₡701

12.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.52 $34.52

$8.86 ₡3,993

289.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.57 ₡708

-40.76%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

68.45%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-24.50%

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

$227 $227

$93.5 ₡42.1K

142.43%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$35.11 ₡15.8K

70.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$51.5 ₡23.2K

24.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.76 $40.76

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-42.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.11 $42.11

$35.44 ₡16.0K

18.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$7.84 ₡3,535

95.03%

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

$1,735 $1,735

$490 ₡220.7K

254.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

107.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$53.5 ₡24.1K

5.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.53 $44.53

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-20.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$79.3 ₡35.7K

38.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$78.9 ₡35.6K

79.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 $1,708

$786 ₡354.3K

117.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 $1,344

$780 ₡351.6K

72.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-29.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$1,407 ₡634.4K

40.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,760 $2,760

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-60.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,859 $1,859

$1,201 ₡541.3K

54.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,573 $4,573

$876 ₡395.0K

421.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

8.62

-23.78%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 6, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Indianapolis, IN

$1.3K 49%

Nosara

$780 43% 42% $564

Groceries & Markets

Indianapolis, IN

$405 14.8%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 13.8% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Indianapolis, IN

$351 12.8%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 48.6% $171

Eating Out

Indianapolis, IN

$334 12.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 37.3% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Indianapolis, IN

$159 5.8%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 24.2% $38

Getting Around

Indianapolis, IN

$77 2.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 12.8% $9.8

Sport & Entertainment

Indianapolis, IN

$71 2.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 22.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Indianapolis, IN and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 422% 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: $80.0 in Indianapolis, IN vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $350 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

07:28 7:28 AM

05:28 5:28 AM

2 h behind Indianapolis, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

882,039

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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 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

Indianapolis, IN Nosara 3,310 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Indianapolis, IN
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

Indianapolis, IN vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Indianapolis, IN. 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 422% higher in Indianapolis, IN, 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: $1,708 in Indianapolis, IN versus $786 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 $60.0 versus $80.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,750 per month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,750 in Indianapolis, IN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Indianapolis, IN. 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 $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Indianapolis, IN 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 50% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.