Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lod and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,628 in Lod, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Lod
🇮🇱 Israel
$2,628
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,628 in Lod versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Lod $2,628
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,070 in Lod versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Lod $4,070
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,512 in Lod versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Lod $5,512
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Lod is roughly 43% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lod 95% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lod
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.40 ₪72.8
$12.35 ₡5,539
89.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.4 ₪306
$61.2 ₡27.4K
60.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$19.61 ₪61.0
$7.52 ₡3,373
160.77%
Cappuccino
$5.01 ₪15.58
$4.41 ₡1,978
13.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 ₪11.14
$1.74 ₡780
105.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ₪8.97
$1.31 ₡587
119.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.10 ₪25.20
$3.28 ₡1,471
146.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.90 ₪30.80
$4.47 ₡2,004
121.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lod
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.36 ₪7.35
$1.56 ₡701
51.28%
White Bread (500g)
$3.32 ₪10.34
$3.02 ₡1,355
9.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.56 ₪11.09
$2.51 ₡1,125
41.83%
Eggs
$4.93 ₪15.34
$3.57 ₡1,603
38.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.36 ₪54.0
$7.43 ₡3,333
133.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.46 ₪44.98
$10.52 ₡4,717
37.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.14 ₪78.2
$13.97 ₡6,265
79.96%
Apples (1kg)
$4.41 ₪13.71
$2.35 ₡1,052
87.66%
Banana (1kg)
$3.30 ₪10.27
$1.61 ₡720
104.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 ₪7.75
$4.80 ₡2,152
-48.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 ₪7.27
$1.61 ₡724
45.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 ₪5.81
$3.80 ₡1,703
-50.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 ₪5.10
$3.69 ₡1,657
-55.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 ₪6.15
$1.13 ₡507
75.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 ₪5.68
$2.66 ₡1,191
-31.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.63 ₪42.41
$5.18 ₡2,321
163.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.25 ₪47.45
$19.88 ₡8,916
-23.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.71 ₪11.54
$2.90 ₡1,300
27.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.29 ₪13.36
$3.63 ₡1,626
18.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Lod
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.74 ₪8.51
$1.12 ₡504
144.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.5 ₪303
$72.6 ₡32.6K
34.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.00 ₪12.44
$2.14 ₡958
86.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 ₪3.56
$1.57 ₡703
-27.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.90 ₪61.9
$8.52 ₡3,823
133.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.65 ₪8.24
$1.52 ₡682
74.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$55.6K ₪173.1K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
157.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$58.2K ₪181.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
68.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lod
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$287 ₪892
$96.3 ₡43.2K
197.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.63 ₪36.19
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-67.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.87 ₪108
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-34.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lod
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.0 ₪227
$71.6 ₡32.1K
1.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.66 ₪45.61
$7.89 ₡3,539
85.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lod
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,420 ₪4,418
$494 ₡221.6K
187.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$29.0K ₪90.3K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
144.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lod
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$115 ₪358
$53.9 ₡24.2K
113.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.8 ₪239
$55.4 ₡24.8K
38.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$149 ₪465
$77.9 ₡34.9K
91.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165 ₪513
$79.6 ₡35.7K
106.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lod
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,435 ₪4,464
$788 ₡353.4K
82.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,004 ₪3,123
$794 ₡356.2K
26.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,310 ₪7,188
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-41.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,901 ₪5,914
$1,419 ₡636.5K
33.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.7K ₪33.3K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
54.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,498 ₪23.3K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
512.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lod
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,603 ₪8,098
$864 ₡387.3K
201.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.99
8.62
-42.11%

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

Last update for Lod: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lod
$1K
Nosara
$794 20.9% $210
Groceries & Markets
Lod
$450
Nosara
$352 21.8% $98
Eating Out
Lod
$392
Nosara
$212 46% $180
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lod
$333
Nosara
$186 44.3% $148
Clothing & Footwear
Lod
$228
Nosara
$120 47.3% $108
Getting Around
Lod
$118
Nosara
$87 26.3% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Lod
$102
Nosara
$87 14.6% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,435 in Lod and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lod pays 201% 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: $98.0 in Lod vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $352 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇱 Lod
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
01:41 1:41 AM
16:41 4:41 PM
9 h behind Lod
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
81,202
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to ILS – Israeli New Shekel Converter

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Lod Nosara 12,170 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lod
  • 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
Lod vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Lod?
Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lod or Nosara?
Average pay runs 201% higher in Lod, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Lod and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,435 in Lod versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,420 in Lod versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Lod and in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Lod. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Lod or in Nosara?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,628 in Lod, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Lod. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lod or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lod, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lod or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Lod 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Lod. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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