Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,354 in Montgomery, AL, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

115

Cost of Living Index in Montgomery, AL
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Montgomery, AL Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,354

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Montgomery, AL versus $1,839 in Nosara.

Montgomery, AL $2,354
Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,197 in Montgomery, AL versus $2,828 in Nosara.

Montgomery, AL $3,197
Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,039 in Montgomery, AL versus $3,818 in Nosara.

Montgomery, AL $4,039
Nosara $3,818

Living in Montgomery, AL is roughly 28% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montgomery, AL 74% above, Nosara 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 $16.11

$12.35 ₡5,539

30.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 $55.6

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 $10.30

$7.52 ₡3,373

36.97%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$4.41 ₡1,978

21.54%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$1.74 ₡780

50.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.31 ₡587

58.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.28 ₡1,471

33.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.47 ₡2,004

9.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.56 ₡701

-45.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.02 ₡1,355

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.51 ₡1,125

-18.33%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$3.57 ₡1,603

-12.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 $7.96

$7.43 ₡3,333

7.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 $7.39

$10.52 ₡4,717

-29.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$13.97 ₡6,265

2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.35 ₡1,052

69.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.61 ₡720

-20.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$4.80 ₡2,152

-59.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.61 ₡724

158.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.80 ₡1,703

-18.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.69 ₡1,657

-27.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.13 ₡507

84.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.66 ₡1,191

-18.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 $8.89

$5.18 ₡2,321

71.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$19.88 ₡8,916

-24.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.90 ₡1,300

-33.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.63 ₡1,626

6.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.12 ₡504

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.02 $45.02

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-38.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.14 ₡958

18.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.57 ₡703

1.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.54 $25.54

$8.52 ₡3,823

199.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.52 ₡682

-40.79%

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

$31.7K $31.7K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

46.84%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-24.83%

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

$309 $309

$96.3 ₡43.2K

221.11%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$35.89 ₡16.1K

41.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$53.6 ₡24.0K

35.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.83 $37.83

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-47.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.52 $28.52

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-18.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 $9.81

$7.89 ₡3,539

24.33%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$494 ₡221.6K

179.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K $13.7K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

15.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.94 $48.94

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 $35.52

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-35.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 $86.2

$77.9 ₡34.9K

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 $96.5

$79.6 ₡35.7K

21.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$788 ₡353.4K

63.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 $1,084

$794 ₡356.2K

36.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-59.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 $1,455

$1,419 ₡636.5K

2.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,368 $1,368

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-80.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,309 $1,309

$1,224 ₡549.0K

6.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,632 $3,632

$864 ₡387.3K

320.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

8.62

-24.13%

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

Last update for Montgomery, AL: 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

Montgomery, AL

$1.1K 46%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 26.7% $290

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montgomery, AL

$432 18.4%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 57% $247

Groceries & Markets

Montgomery, AL

$322 13.7%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 9.5% $31

Eating Out

Montgomery, AL

$274 11.7%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 22.8% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Montgomery, AL

$120 5.1%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 0.1% $0.1

Getting Around

Montgomery, AL

$64 2.7%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 36.6% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Montgomery, AL

$57 2.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 52.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,287 in Montgomery, AL and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays 321% 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: $56.0 in Montgomery, AL vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $352 per month, with Montgomery, AL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Montgomery, AL

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:24 2:24 AM

01:24 1:24 AM

1 h behind Montgomery, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,603

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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

Montgomery, AL Nosara 2,490 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Montgomery, AL
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

Montgomery, AL vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montgomery, AL and Nosara differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($2,354 vs $1,839 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 321% higher in Montgomery, AL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,287 in Montgomery, AL versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $56.0 in Montgomery, AL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,354 per month in Montgomery, AL versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,354 in Montgomery, AL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Montgomery, AL. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Montgomery, AL 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.

Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Montgomery, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.