Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Castle, PA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,400 in New Castle, PA, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New Castle, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,400
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,400 in New Castle, PA versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • New Castle, PA $2,400
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,487 in New Castle, PA versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • New Castle, PA $3,487
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,574 in New Castle, PA versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • New Castle, PA $4,574
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in New Castle, PA is roughly 31% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New Castle, PA 77% above, Nosara 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.88 $14.88
$12.34 ₡5,535
20.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.9 $55.9
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-8.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.98 $11.98
$7.76 ₡3,481
54.38%
Cappuccino
$4.26 $4.26
$4.44 ₡1,992
-4.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$1.79 ₡803
22.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$1.29 ₡580
95.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 $3.42
$3.24 ₡1,451
5.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 $3.01
$4.43 ₡1,985
-32.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.55 ₡696
-44.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 $2.40
$3.08 ₡1,380
-22.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.55 $6.55
$2.53 ₡1,133
158.89%
Eggs
$3.09 $3.09
$3.45 ₡1,546
-10.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$7.32 ₡3,284
78.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.10 $10.10
$10.24 ₡4,594
-1.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.36 $14.36
$14.10 ₡6,326
1.84%
Apples (1kg)
$3.74 $3.74
$2.29 ₡1,027
63.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.65 $2.65
$1.64 ₡737
61.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.88 $4.88
$4.79 ₡2,149
1.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.98 $4.98
$1.64 ₡735
203.66%
Potato (1kg)
$2.30 $2.30
$3.85 ₡1,727
-40.26%
Onion (1kg)
$4.56 $4.56
$3.75 ₡1,681
21.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.09 ₡488
88.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 $1.88
$2.59 ₡1,160
-27.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.19 $8.19
$5.12 ₡2,295
59.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.95 $10.95
$19.92 ₡8,931
-45.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.17 $3.17
$2.80 ₡1,255
13.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39 $3.39
$3.52 ₡1,580
-3.69%
🚌 Getting Around
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.22 ₡549
45.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 $3.22
$2.17 ₡973
48.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.56 ₡698
1.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.88 $27.88
$8.67 ₡3,886
221.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.97 $0.97
$1.55 ₡697
-37.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-20.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-28.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$98.9 $98.9
$94.8 ₡42.5K
4.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.1 $54.1
$36.15 ₡16.2K
49.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.6 $66.6
$53.1 ₡23.8K
25.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.78 $42.78
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-42.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.12 $15.12
$7.91 ₡3,548
91.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 $201
$490 ₡219.9K
-58.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K $23.6K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
98.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.70 $47.70
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-12.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.30 $39.30
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-29.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.2 $87.2
$80.4 ₡36.0K
8.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 $142
$77.9 ₡34.9K
82.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,615 $1,615
$801 ₡359.1K
101.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,324 $1,324
$790 ₡354.1K
67.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,523 $2,523
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-36.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,167 $2,167
$1,409 ₡632.0K
53.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,823 $2,823
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-60.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,250 $2,250
$1,236 ₡554.3K
82.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New Castle, PA
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.03
8.62
-18.45%

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

Last update for New Castle, PA: 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
New Castle, PA
$1.3K
Nosara
$790 40.4% $535
Groceries & Markets
New Castle, PA
$374
Nosara
$350 6.6% $25
Eating Out
New Castle, PA
$248
Nosara
$213 14.3% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New Castle, PA
$220
Nosara
$184 16.2% $35
Clothing & Footwear
New Castle, PA
$142
Nosara
$121 15% $21
Sport & Entertainment
New Castle, PA
$73
Nosara
$90 22.7% $17
Getting Around
New Castle, PA
$18 *
Nosara
$89 387% $71

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 $1,615 in New Castle, PA and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56.0 in New Castle, PA vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $350, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New Castle, PA
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
23:16 11:16 PM
21:16 9:16 PM
2 h behind New Castle, PA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,926
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • New Castle, PA Nosara 3,490 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • New Castle, 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
New Castle, PA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than New Castle, PA?
Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,600 in New Castle, PA and $2,753 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.
What is the rent difference between New Castle, PA and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,615 in New Castle, PA versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $201 in New Castle, PA versus $490 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in New Castle, PA or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $56.0 in New Castle, PA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in New Castle, PA or in Nosara?
At $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,400 in New Castle, PA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in New Castle, PA. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is New Castle, PA or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in New Castle, PA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, New Castle, PA or Nosara?
Safety-wise, New Castle, 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in New Castle, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

New Castle, PA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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