Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Little Rock, AR and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,137 in Little Rock, AR, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Little Rock, AR
Learn more

Little Rock, AR Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,137

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,137 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Little Rock, AR $2,137
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,103 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Little Rock, AR $3,103
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $4,069 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Little Rock, AR $4,069
Nosara $3,712

Little Rock, AR costs about 16% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Little Rock, AR and Nosara sit above the global median – Little Rock, AR by 59%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 $17.18

$12.22 ₡5,509

40.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$60.2 ₡27.1K

22.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 $10.84

$7.54 ₡3,399

43.77%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$4.31 ₡1,941

19.49%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$1.72 ₡773

70.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.35 ₡608

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 $5.54

$3.24 ₡1,459

70.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.41 $6.41

$4.48 ₡2,018

43.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.57 ₡707

-29.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.17 ₡1,429

-15.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.42 ₡1,091

16.53%

Eggs

$3.39 $3.39

$3.57 ₡1,609

-5.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$7.43 ₡3,349

36.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$10.42 ₡4,697

12.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.86 $22.86

$13.66 ₡6,156

67.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.32 ₡1,044

116.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.61 ₡728

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$4.74 ₡2,138

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.66 ₡747

127.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.72 ₡1,679

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.57 ₡1,611

-28.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.10 ₡497

76.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.55 ₡1,149

-24.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 $9.74

$4.95 ₡2,232

96.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$20.01 ₡9,020

-32.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.79 ₡1,256

-36.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.53 ₡1,589

-51.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.19 ₡537

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.95 $35.95

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-50.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.24 ₡1,011

13.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.55 ₡701

-4.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.22 $24.22

$8.86 ₡3,993

173.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.57 ₡708

-42.68%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

71.51%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-24.40%

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

$218 $218

$93.5 ₡42.1K

132.89%

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

$59.9 $59.9

$35.11 ₡15.8K

70.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$51.5 ₡23.2K

32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.12 $29.12

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-59.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.94 $13.94

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-60.67%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 $12.76

$7.84 ₡3,535

62.76%

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

$1,014 $1,014

$490 ₡220.7K

107.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K $18.9K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

58.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-5.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.52 $39.52

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-29.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 $83.8

$79.3 ₡35.7K

5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$78.9 ₡35.6K

86.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 $1,132

$786 ₡354.3K

44.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 $874

$780 ₡351.6K

12.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 $1,577

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-59.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 $1,282

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-8.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,870 $1,870

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-73.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 $1,335

$1,201 ₡541.3K

11.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,805 $3,805

$876 ₡395.0K

334.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

8.62

-21.69%

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

Last update for Little Rock, AR: 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

Little Rock, AR

$874 40.9%

Nosara

$780 43% 10.8% $94

Groceries & Markets

Little Rock, AR

$374 17.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 6.6% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Little Rock, AR

$346 16.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 47.9% $166

Eating Out

Little Rock, AR

$294 13.7%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 28.7% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Little Rock, AR

$145 6.8%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 16.7% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Little Rock, AR

$55 2.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 59.3% $32

Getting Around

Little Rock, AR

$51 2.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 69.2% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,132 in Little Rock, AR versus $786 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 334% higher in Little Rock, AR, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Little Rock, AR versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Little Rock, AR

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

09:18 9:18 AM

08:18 8:18 AM

1 h behind Little Rock, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,591

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

Little Rock, AR Nosara 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Little Rock, 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

Little Rock, AR vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,137 in Little Rock, AR, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,205 per month in Little Rock, AR and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,014 per month in Little Rock, AR and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Little Rock, AR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Little Rock, AR at $2,137. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Little Rock, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,837 in Nosara to $2,137 in Little Rock, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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