Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Middletown, NJ and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,640 in Middletown, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Middletown, NJ
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Middletown, NJ Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Middletown, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,640

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,640 per month in Middletown, NJ vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Middletown, NJ $2,640
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,931 per month in Middletown, NJ vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Middletown, NJ $3,931
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $5,222 per month in Middletown, NJ vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Middletown, NJ $5,222
Nosara $3,814

Middletown, NJ costs about 44% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Middletown, NJ and Nosara sit above the global median – Middletown, NJ by 95%, Nosara by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$12.34 ₡5,535

61.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 $103

$61.3 ₡27.5K

68.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$7.76 ₡3,481

53.09%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$4.44 ₡1,992

24.55%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.79 ₡803

48.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.29 ₡580

69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 $6.43

$3.24 ₡1,451

98.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.77 $8.77

$4.43 ₡1,985

97.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.55 ₡696

-18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.08 ₡1,380

12.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.53 ₡1,133

120.55%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$3.45 ₡1,546

15.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 $13.25

$7.32 ₡3,284

81.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 $6.68

$10.24 ₡4,594

-34.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$14.10 ₡6,326

-5.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.29 ₡1,027

42.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 ₡737

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.79 ₡2,149

-41.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.64 ₡735

163.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.85 ₡1,727

-57.92%

Onion (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.75 ₡1,681

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.09 ₡488

134.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.59 ₡1,160

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.44 $9.44

$5.12 ₡2,295

84.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$19.92 ₡8,931

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.80 ₡1,255

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.52 ₡1,580

-2.84%

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)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.17 ₡973

35.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.56 ₡698

41.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.17 $41.17

$8.67 ₡3,886

374.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.55 ₡697

-28.39%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-12.37%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-34.02%

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

$248 $248

$94.8 ₡42.5K

161.57%

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

$62.2 $62.2

$36.15 ₡16.2K

72.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 $62.8

$53.1 ₡23.8K

18.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 $40.13

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-45.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$19.87 $19.87

$7.91 ₡3,548

151.20%

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

$2,574 $2,574

$490 ₡219.9K

424.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K $34.8K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

192.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.4 $69.4

$54.8 ₡24.6K

26.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 $75.2

$55.9 ₡25.1K

34.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$80.4 ₡36.0K

46.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$77.9 ₡34.9K

55.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$801 ₡359.1K

100.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 $1,291

$790 ₡354.1K

63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 $2,549

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-36.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 $2,187

$1,409 ₡632.0K

55.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,630 $2,630

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-62.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 $2,610

$1,236 ₡554.3K

111.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,048 $3,048

$887 ₡397.6K

243.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

8.62

-22.62%

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

Last update for Middletown, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Middletown, NJ

$1.3K 48.9%

Nosara

$790 43% 38.8% $501

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Middletown, NJ

$373 14.1%

Nosara

$184 10% 50.7% $189

Groceries & Markets

Middletown, NJ

$371 14.1%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 5.7% $21

Eating Out

Middletown, NJ

$330 12.5%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 35.6% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Middletown, NJ

$173 6.5%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 29.9% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Middletown, NJ

$80 3%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 12.2% $9.8

Getting Around

Middletown, NJ

$23 * 0.9%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 286% $66

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,602 in Middletown, NJ 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 244% higher in Middletown, NJ, 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 $103 in Middletown, NJ versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Middletown, NJ

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

00:07 12:07 AM

22:07 10:07 PM

2 h behind Middletown, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

27,812

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 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 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

Middletown, NJ Nosara 3,570 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Middletown, NJ
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

Middletown, NJ vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,640 in Middletown, NJ, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 44% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,960 per month in Middletown, NJ 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 $103 in Middletown, NJ 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 6% more in Middletown, NJ, 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 Middletown, NJ at $2,640. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Middletown, NJ 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 $2,640 in Middletown, NJ. 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, Middletown, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.