Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Murfreesboro, TN and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,308 in Murfreesboro, TN, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Murfreesboro, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,308
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,308 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Murfreesboro, TN $2,308
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $3,436 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Murfreesboro, TN $3,436
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $4,565 per month in Murfreesboro, TN vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Murfreesboro, TN $4,565
  • Nosara $3,818

Murfreesboro, TN costs about 25% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Murfreesboro, TN and Nosara sit above the global median – Murfreesboro, TN by 71%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.68 $17.68
$12.35 ₡5,539
43.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.3 $74.3
$61.2 ₡27.4K
21.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 $9.80
$7.52 ₡3,373
30.32%
Cappuccino
$5.40 $5.40
$4.41 ₡1,978
22.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$1.74 ₡780
47.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 $2.55
$1.31 ₡587
94.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.89 $3.89
$3.28 ₡1,471
18.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 $6.03
$4.47 ₡2,004
34.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.56 ₡701
-31.41%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 $2.94
$3.02 ₡1,355
-2.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.34 $3.34
$2.51 ₡1,125
33.07%
Eggs
$4.28 $4.28
$3.57 ₡1,603
19.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.04 $10.04
$7.43 ₡3,333
35.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.45 $9.45
$10.52 ₡4,717
-10.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.81 $14.81
$13.97 ₡6,265
6.01%
Apples (1kg)
$6.16 $6.16
$2.35 ₡1,052
162.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.61 ₡720
-28.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 $2.86
$4.80 ₡2,152
-40.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.56 $4.56
$1.61 ₡724
183.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 $1.92
$3.80 ₡1,703
-49.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.74 $2.74
$3.69 ₡1,657
-25.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.13 ₡507
82.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$2.66 ₡1,191
-40.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.15 $10.15
$5.18 ₡2,321
95.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.79 $14.79
$19.88 ₡8,916
-25.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.90 ₡1,300
-39.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.63 ₡1,626
-15.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡504
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.12 $5.12
$2.14 ₡958
139.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.57 ₡703
-2.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.10 $30.10
$8.52 ₡3,823
253.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.52 ₡682
-42.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K $32.7K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
51.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K $23.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-33.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 $221
$96.3 ₡43.2K
129.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.4 $55.4
$35.89 ₡16.1K
54.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.6 $54.6
$53.6 ₡24.0K
1.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.92 $24.92
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-65.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.98 $29.98
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-14.12%
Cinema Ticket
$14.74 $14.74
$7.89 ₡3,539
86.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,208 $1,208
$494 ₡221.6K
144.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.1K $24.1K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
102.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.2 $50.2
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-6.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.66 $44.66
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-19.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.6 $89.6
$77.9 ₡34.9K
15.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 $125
$79.6 ₡35.7K
57.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,364 $1,364
$788 ₡353.4K
73.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,135 $1,135
$794 ₡356.2K
42.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,142 $2,142
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-45.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,951 $1,951
$1,419 ₡636.5K
37.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,805 $2,805
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-59.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,810 $2,810
$1,224 ₡549.0K
129.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Murfreesboro, TN
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,190 $4,190
$864 ₡387.3K
385.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
8.62
-24.71%

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

Last update for Murfreesboro, TN: 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
Murfreesboro, TN
$1.1K
Nosara
$794 30% $340
Groceries & Markets
Murfreesboro, TN
$347
Nosara
$352 1.4% $4.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Murfreesboro, TN
$331
Nosara
$186 43.9% $146
Eating Out
Murfreesboro, TN
$288
Nosara
$212 26.3% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Murfreesboro, TN
$139
Nosara
$120 13.8% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Murfreesboro, TN
$54
Nosara
$87 60.6% $33
Getting Around
Murfreesboro, TN
$13 *
Nosara
$87 581% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,364 in Murfreesboro, TN 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 385% higher in Murfreesboro, TN, 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 $74.0 in Murfreesboro, TN versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Murfreesboro, TN vs $352 in Nosara – so Murfreesboro, TN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Murfreesboro, TN
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
18:21 6:21 PM
17:21 5:21 PM
1 h behind Murfreesboro, TN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
126,118
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Murfreesboro, TN Nosara 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Murfreesboro, TN
  • 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
Murfreesboro, TN vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Murfreesboro, TN or Nosara?
Murfreesboro, TN costs about 25% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Murfreesboro, TN and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,461 per month in Murfreesboro, TN and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Murfreesboro, TN or Nosara?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Murfreesboro, TN compared to Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,308 in Murfreesboro, TN and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 25%.
How do childcare costs compare in Murfreesboro, TN and in Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $1,208 per month in Murfreesboro, TN and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Murfreesboro, TN or in Nosara?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Murfreesboro, TN at $2,308. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Murfreesboro, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Murfreesboro, TN or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,839 versus $2,308 in Murfreesboro, TN. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Murfreesboro, TN compared to Nosara?
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.
Should I move to Murfreesboro, TN or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Murfreesboro, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Murfreesboro, TN vs other spots: cost of living compared

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