Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,867 in Long Island, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

187

Cost of Living Index in Long Island, NY
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Long Island, NY Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Long Island, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$3,867

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,867 per month in Long Island, NY vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Long Island, NY $3,867
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $5,541 per month in Long Island, NY vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Long Island, NY $5,541
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $7,215 per month in Long Island, NY vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Long Island, NY $7,215
Nosara $3,818

Long Island, NY costs about 110% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Long Island, NY and Nosara sit above the global median – Long Island, NY by 186%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.36 $25.36

$12.35 ₡5,539

105.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$61.2 ₡27.4K

65.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 $10.94

$7.52 ₡3,373

45.48%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$4.41 ₡1,978

14.97%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$1.74 ₡780

22.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.31 ₡587

21.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.28 ₡1,471

145.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.47 ₡2,004

76.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.56 ₡701

-18.59%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.02 ₡1,355

40.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.51 ₡1,125

-23.90%

Eggs

$5.07 $5.07

$3.57 ₡1,603

42.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 $7.14

$7.43 ₡3,333

-3.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$10.52 ₡4,717

10.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$13.97 ₡6,265

19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.35 ₡1,052

74.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.61 ₡720

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$4.80 ₡2,152

-55.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$1.61 ₡724

276.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$3.80 ₡1,703

-71.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.69 ₡1,657

-39.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.13 ₡507

30.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.66 ₡1,191

6.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 $11.27

$5.18 ₡2,321

117.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.38 $17.38

$19.88 ₡8,916

-12.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.90 ₡1,300

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.63 ₡1,626

11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.12 ₡504

146.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

$72.6 ₡32.6K

80.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.14 ₡958

42.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.57 ₡703

32.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.16 $24.16

$8.52 ₡3,823

183.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.52 ₡682

-26.32%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

69.74%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-26.24%

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

$190 $190

$96.3 ₡43.2K

97.79%

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

$48.53 $48.53

$35.89 ₡16.1K

35.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 $54.4

$53.6 ₡24.0K

1.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.55 $31.55

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-55.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$102 $102

$34.91 ₡15.7K

192.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 $14.23

$7.89 ₡3,539

80.35%

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

$2,219 $2,219

$494 ₡221.6K

349.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

102.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.01 $40.01

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-25.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 $56.5

$55.4 ₡24.8K

1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 $75.7

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-2.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$79.6 ₡35.7K

98.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,715 $2,715

$788 ₡353.4K

244.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,463 $2,463

$794 ₡356.2K

210.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,300 $5,300

$3,939 ₡1.8M

34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,883 $3,883

$1,419 ₡636.5K

173.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,360 $4,360

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-36.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,364 $4,364

$1,224 ₡549.0K

256.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,983 $4,983

$864 ₡387.3K

477.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

8.62

-23.09%

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

Last update for Long Island, NY: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Long Island, NY

$2.5K 63.7%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 67.8% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Long Island, NY

$378 9.8%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 6.9% $26

Eating Out

Long Island, NY

$368 9.5%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 42.4% $156

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Long Island, NY

$293 7.6%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 36.7% $108

Getting Around

Long Island, NY

$155 4%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 43.9% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Long Island, NY

$149 3.8%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 19.2% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Long Island, NY

$60 1.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 45.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,715 in Long Island, NY 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 477% higher in Long Island, NY, 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 $101 in Long Island, NY versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Long Island, NY

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

17:53 5:53 PM

15:53 3:53 PM

2 h behind Long Island, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,804,968

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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Long Island, NY Nosara 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Long Island, NY
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

Long Island, NY vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,867 in Long Island, NY, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 110% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,800 per month in Long Island, NY 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 Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,219 per month in Long Island, NY and $494 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 Long Island, NY, 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 $1,839, than in Long Island, NY at $3,867. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Island, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Long Island, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $3,867 in Long Island, NY. 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, Long Island, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.