Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manitowoc, WI and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,482 in Manitowoc, WI, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Manitowoc, WI
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Manitowoc, WI Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Manitowoc, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,482

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Manitowoc, WI vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Manitowoc, WI $2,482
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,595 per month in Manitowoc, WI vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Manitowoc, WI $3,595
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $4,708 per month in Manitowoc, WI vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Manitowoc, WI $4,708
Nosara $3,814

Manitowoc, WI costs about 35% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Manitowoc, WI and Nosara sit above the global median – Manitowoc, WI by 83%, Nosara by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.59 $21.59

$12.34 ₡5,535

74.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 $91.3

$61.3 ₡27.5K

48.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.04 $13.04

$7.76 ₡3,481

68.04%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$4.44 ₡1,992

25.68%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$1.79 ₡803

50.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.29 ₡580

79.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.24 ₡1,451

120.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.97 $8.97

$4.43 ₡1,985

102.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.55 ₡696

-50.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.08 ₡1,380

-5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.53 ₡1,133

102.77%

Eggs

$1.63 $1.63

$3.45 ₡1,546

-52.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$7.32 ₡3,284

77.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$10.24 ₡4,594

-41.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 $15.51

$14.10 ₡6,326

10.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.29 ₡1,027

125.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.64 ₡737

17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.79 ₡2,149

-15.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$1.64 ₡735

196.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.85 ₡1,727

-28.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.75 ₡1,681

-25.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.09 ₡488

106.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.59 ₡1,160

15.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.93 $9.93

$5.12 ₡2,295

93.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$19.92 ₡8,931

-49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.80 ₡1,255

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.52 ₡1,580

-4.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.22 ₡549

85.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.17 ₡973

53.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.56 ₡698

-12.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 $24.65

$8.67 ₡3,886

184.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.55 ₡697

-30.32%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

1.78%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-31.95%

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

$121 $121

$94.8 ₡42.5K

27.97%

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

$69.4 $69.4

$36.15 ₡16.2K

91.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 $60.3

$53.1 ₡23.8K

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.65 $40.65

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-44.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 $11.91

$7.91 ₡3,548

50.57%

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

$1,654 $1,654

$490 ₡219.9K

237.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

161.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$54.8 ₡24.6K

20.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-8.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$80.4 ₡36.0K

24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$77.9 ₡34.9K

88.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 $1,689

$801 ₡359.1K

110.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 $1,275

$790 ₡354.1K

61.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 $2,553

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-36.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,883 $1,883

$1,409 ₡632.0K

33.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,901 $2,901

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-58.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,458 $2,458

$1,236 ₡554.3K

98.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,524 $3,524

$887 ₡397.6K

297.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

8.62

-24.59%

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

Last update for Manitowoc, WI: 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

Manitowoc, WI

$1.3K 51.4%

Nosara

$790 43% 38.1% $486

Groceries & Markets

Manitowoc, WI

$356 14.3%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 1.7% $5.9

Eating Out

Manitowoc, WI

$353 14.2%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 39.7% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manitowoc, WI

$251 10.1%

Nosara

$184 10% 26.7% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Manitowoc, WI

$164 6.6%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 26.1% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Manitowoc, WI

$64 2.6%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 39% $25

Getting Around

Manitowoc, WI

$19 * 0.8%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 362% $70

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,689 in Manitowoc, WI versus $801 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 297% higher in Manitowoc, WI, 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 $91.0 in Manitowoc, WI versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Manitowoc, WI

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

00:57 12:57 AM

23:57 11:57 PM

1 h behind Manitowoc, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,635

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 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

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Manitowoc, WI Nosara 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Manitowoc, WI
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

Manitowoc, WI vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Manitowoc, WI, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 35% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Manitowoc, WI and $2,753 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Manitowoc, WI and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Manitowoc, WI, 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 $1,835, than in Manitowoc, WI at $2,482. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manitowoc, WI 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 $1,835 in Nosara to $2,482 in Manitowoc, WI. 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, Manitowoc, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.