Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisle, IL and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,614 in Lisle, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisle, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,614
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,614 in Lisle, IL versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • Lisle, IL $2,614
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,906 in Lisle, IL versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • Lisle, IL $3,906
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,199 in Lisle, IL versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • Lisle, IL $5,199
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in Lisle, IL is roughly 42% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisle, IL 93% above, Nosara 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 $17.89
$12.34 ₡5,535
44.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.5 $75.5
$61.3 ₡27.5K
23.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.43 $12.43
$7.76 ₡3,481
60.18%
Cappuccino
$5.46 $5.46
$4.44 ₡1,992
22.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$1.79 ₡803
53.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.29 ₡580
73.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.53 $5.53
$3.24 ₡1,451
70.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.55 $7.55
$4.43 ₡1,985
70.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.55 ₡696
-28.39%
White Bread (500g)
$3.59 $3.59
$3.08 ₡1,380
16.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.14 $4.14
$2.53 ₡1,133
63.64%
Eggs
$3.70 $3.70
$3.45 ₡1,546
7.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.02 $11.02
$7.32 ₡3,284
50.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.74 $11.74
$10.24 ₡4,594
14.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.40 $19.40
$14.10 ₡6,326
37.59%
Apples (1kg)
$4.48 $4.48
$2.29 ₡1,027
95.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 $1.43
$1.64 ₡737
-12.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.76 $3.76
$4.79 ₡2,149
-21.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$1.64 ₡735
167.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$3.85 ₡1,727
-26.75%
Onion (1kg)
$3.38 $3.38
$3.75 ₡1,681
-9.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.09 ₡488
85.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 $2.34
$2.59 ₡1,160
-9.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.47 $10.47
$5.12 ₡2,295
104.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.56 $13.56
$19.92 ₡8,931
-31.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 $1.88
$2.80 ₡1,255
-32.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 $2.90
$3.52 ₡1,580
-17.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.22 ₡549
52.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 $3.31
$2.17 ₡973
52.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.56 ₡698
18.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.11 $30.11
$8.67 ₡3,886
247.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 $1.22
$1.55 ₡697
-21.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K $28.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-18.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1K $29.1K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-24.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$211 $211
$94.8 ₡42.5K
122.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$63.8 $63.8
$36.15 ₡16.2K
76.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.8 $71.8
$53.1 ₡23.8K
35.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.88 $43.88
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-40.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.27 $14.27
$7.91 ₡3,548
80.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,231 $1,231
$490 ₡219.9K
151.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.7K $25.7K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
115.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.79 $45.79
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-16.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.00 $39.00
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-30.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.7 $98.7
$80.4 ₡36.0K
22.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 $127
$77.9 ₡34.9K
63.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,605 $1,605
$801 ₡359.1K
100.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,336 $1,336
$790 ₡354.1K
69.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,202 $2,202
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-45.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,395 $2,395
$1,409 ₡632.0K
69.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,759 $2,759
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-60.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,363 $2,363
$1,236 ₡554.3K
91.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisle, IL
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
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 Lisle, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisle, IL
$1.3K
Nosara
$790 40.9% $547
Groceries & Markets
Lisle, IL
$390
Nosara
$350 10.3% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisle, IL
$347
Nosara
$184 46.9% $163
Eating Out
Lisle, IL
$309
Nosara
$213 31.1% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Lisle, IL
$140
Nosara
$121 13.4% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Lisle, IL
$72
Nosara
$90 23.7% $17
Getting Around
Lisle, IL
$20 *
Nosara
$89 343% $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 $1,605 in Lisle, IL and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Lisle, IL vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $350 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Lisle, IL
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
22:53 10:53 PM
21:53 9:53 PM
1 h behind Lisle, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,223
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisle, IL Nosara 3,550 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisle, IL
  • 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
Lisle, IL vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisle, IL or Nosara?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Lisle, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lisle, IL and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $3,921 in Lisle, IL and $2,753 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisle, IL compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,605 in Lisle, IL versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisle, IL or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Lisle, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Lisle, IL compared to Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $2,614 per month in Lisle, IL versus $1,835 in Nosara – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Lisle, IL or in Nosara?
At $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,614 in Lisle, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Lisle, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisle, IL or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisle, IL compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Lisle, IL 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Lisle, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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