Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Milford, PA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,606 in Milford, PA, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Milford, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,606
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,606 in Milford, PA versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Milford, PA $2,606
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Milford, PA versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Milford, PA $3,800
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,993 in Milford, PA versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Milford, PA $4,993
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Milford, PA is roughly 42% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milford, PA 94% above, Nosara 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.15 $20.15
$12.22 ₡5,509
64.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.1 $76.1
$60.2 ₡27.1K
26.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.56 $11.56
$7.54 ₡3,399
53.32%
Cappuccino
$5.23 $5.23
$4.31 ₡1,941
21.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.72 ₡773
52.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.35 ₡608
49.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.86 $5.86
$3.24 ₡1,459
80.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.48 $7.48
$4.48 ₡2,018
66.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.57 ₡707
-35.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.62 $3.62
$3.17 ₡1,429
14.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.84 $4.84
$2.42 ₡1,091
100.00%
Eggs
$4.63 $4.63
$3.57 ₡1,609
29.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.52 $12.52
$7.43 ₡3,349
68.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.88 $12.88
$10.42 ₡4,697
23.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.96 $16.96
$13.66 ₡6,156
24.16%
Apples (1kg)
$5.52 $5.52
$2.32 ₡1,044
137.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.61 ₡728
1.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$4.74 ₡2,138
-7.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.59 $4.59
$1.66 ₡747
176.51%
Potato (1kg)
$2.85 $2.85
$3.72 ₡1,679
-23.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.96 $2.96
$3.57 ₡1,611
-17.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.17 $2.17
$1.10 ₡497
97.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 $2.23
$2.55 ₡1,149
-12.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.99 $9.99
$4.95 ₡2,232
101.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.06 $15.06
$20.01 ₡9,020
-24.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.79 ₡1,256
-30.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 $3.28
$3.53 ₡1,589
-7.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.19 ₡537
62.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 $3.11
$2.24 ₡1,011
38.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.55 ₡701
10.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.23 $31.23
$8.86 ₡3,993
252.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.57 ₡708
-31.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K $35.7K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
63.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-26.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 $203
$93.5 ₡42.1K
117.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.0 $65.0
$35.11 ₡15.8K
85.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.1 $71.1
$51.5 ₡23.2K
38.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.14 $40.14
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-43.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.79 $13.79
$7.84 ₡3,535
75.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,577 $1,577
$490 ₡220.7K
222.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.1K $26.1K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
119.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.2 $52.2
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-2.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.75 $40.75
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-26.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.1 $89.1
$79.3 ₡35.7K
12.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$78.9 ₡35.6K
42.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,607 $1,607
$786 ₡354.3K
104.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,312 $1,312
$780 ₡351.6K
68.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,484 $2,484
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-35.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,109 $2,109
$1,407 ₡634.4K
49.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,105 $3,105
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-55.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,473 $2,473
$1,201 ₡541.3K
105.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Milford, PA
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$876 ₡395.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
8.62
-23.78%

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

Last update for Milford, PA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Milford, PA
$1.3K
Nosara
$780 40.6% $533
Groceries & Markets
Milford, PA
$411
Nosara
$350 15% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milford, PA
$340
Nosara
$180 47% $160
Eating Out
Milford, PA
$322
Nosara
$209 34.9% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Milford, PA
$133
Nosara
$120 9.2% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Milford, PA
$68
Nosara
$87 28.6% $19
Getting Around
Milford, PA
$19 *
Nosara
$87 348% $67

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,607 in Milford, PA and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Milford, PA vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $350 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Milford, PA
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
10:41 10:41 AM
08:41 8:41 AM
2 h behind Milford, PA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
55,021
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Milford, PA Nosara 3,640 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Milford, PA
  • 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
Milford, PA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Milford, PA or Nosara?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Milford, PA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Milford, PA and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $3,909 in Milford, PA and $2,756 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Milford, PA compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,607 in Milford, PA versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Milford, PA and in Nosara?
Childcare runs $1,577 in Milford, PA versus $490 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Milford, PA and in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $76.0 in Milford, PA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Milford, PA or in Nosara?
At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,606 in Milford, PA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Milford, PA. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Milford, PA or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Milford, PA compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Milford, PA 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Milford, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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