Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport, RI and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,637 in Newport, RI, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Newport, RI
🇺🇸 United States
$3,637
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,637 in Newport, RI versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • Newport, RI $3,637
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,611 in Newport, RI versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • Newport, RI $4,611
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,586 in Newport, RI versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • Newport, RI $5,586
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in Newport, RI is roughly 98% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newport, RI 168% above, Nosara 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.15 $20.15
$12.34 ₡5,535
63.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.7 $74.7
$61.3 ₡27.5K
21.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.98 $12.98
$7.76 ₡3,481
67.27%
Cappuccino
$5.26 $5.26
$4.44 ₡1,992
18.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 $2.80
$1.79 ₡803
56.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 $2.49
$1.29 ₡580
93.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.04 $6.04
$3.24 ₡1,451
86.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.95 $8.95
$4.43 ₡1,985
102.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.55 ₡696
-34.84%
White Bread (500g)
$4.63 $4.63
$3.08 ₡1,380
50.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$16.60 $16.60
$2.53 ₡1,133
556.13%
Eggs
$6.32 $6.32
$3.45 ₡1,546
83.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.69 $10.69
$7.32 ₡3,284
46.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.74 $10.74
$10.24 ₡4,594
4.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.92 $18.92
$14.10 ₡6,326
34.18%
Apples (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$2.29 ₡1,027
140.61%
Banana (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$1.64 ₡737
163.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.36 $3.36
$4.79 ₡2,149
-29.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.05 $3.05
$1.64 ₡735
85.98%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 $2.15
$3.85 ₡1,727
-44.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.41 $2.41
$3.75 ₡1,681
-35.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.09 ₡488
142.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 $2.84
$2.59 ₡1,160
9.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.90 $13.90
$5.12 ₡2,295
171.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.11 $17.11
$19.92 ₡8,931
-14.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 $1.90
$2.80 ₡1,255
-32.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 $2.75
$3.52 ₡1,580
-21.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.22 ₡549
60.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.1 $69.1
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-6.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.90 $5.90
$2.17 ₡973
171.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.56 ₡698
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.67 ₡3,886
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.55 ₡697
-32.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K $28.2K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-18.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-32.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 $177
$94.8 ₡42.5K
86.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.63 $36.63
$36.15 ₡16.2K
1.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.5 $58.5
$53.1 ₡23.8K
10.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$89.1 $89.1
$73.8 ₡33.1K
20.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.44 $12.44
$7.91 ₡3,548
57.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,164 $2,164
$490 ₡219.9K
341.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.17 $38.17
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-30.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.28 $16.28
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-70.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 $98.2
$80.4 ₡36.0K
22.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,483 $2,483
$801 ₡359.1K
210.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,289 $2,289
$790 ₡354.1K
189.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,610 $3,610
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-9.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,612 $2,612
$1,409 ₡632.0K
85.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,412 $8,412
$7,064 ₡3.2M
19.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,915 $4,915
$1,236 ₡554.3K
297.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Newport, RI
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,871 $2,871
$887 ₡397.6K
223.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.24
8.62
-27.61%

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

Last update for Newport, RI: 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
Newport, RI
$2.3K
Nosara
$790 65.5% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Newport, RI
$478
Nosara
$350 26.8% $128
Eating Out
Newport, RI
$333
Nosara
$213 36% $120
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Newport, RI
$272
Nosara
$184 32.3% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Newport, RI
$114
Nosara
$90 21.4% $24
Getting Around
Newport, RI
$83 *
Nosara
$89 7.1% $5.9
Clothing & Footwear
Newport, RI
$69 *
Nosara
$121 76.2% $52

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 $2,483 in Newport, RI and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newport, RI pays 224% 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: $75.0 in Newport, RI vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $478 vs $350 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Newport, RI
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
15:28 3:28 PM
13:28 1:28 PM
2 h behind Newport, RI
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,409
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Newport, RI Nosara 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Newport, RI
  • 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
Newport, RI vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Newport, RI or Nosara?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Newport, RI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Newport, RI or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 224% higher in Newport, RI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Newport, RI compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,483 in Newport, RI versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Newport, RI or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Newport, RI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Newport, RI and in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $75.0 in Newport, RI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Newport, RI or in Nosara?
At $1,835 in Nosara versus $3,637 in Newport, RI, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Newport, RI. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Newport, RI or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Newport, RI compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Newport, RI 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 98% less than in Newport, RI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Newport, RI vs other spots: cost of living compared

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