Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Alexandria, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,122 in Alexandria, MN, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Alexandria, MN
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Alexandria, MN Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Alexandria, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,122

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Alexandria, MN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nosara and in Alexandria, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,122 in Alexandria, MN.

Nosara $1,837
Alexandria, MN $2,122

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $3,258 in Alexandria, MN.

Nosara $2,775
Alexandria, MN $3,258

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $4,395 in Alexandria, MN.

Nosara $3,712
Alexandria, MN $4,395

Living in Nosara costs roughly 13% less than in Alexandria, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Alexandria, MN 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$15.25 $15.25

-19.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$60.2 $60.2

-0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$9.80 $9.80

-23.06%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$5.22 $5.22

-17.43%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$1.98 $1.98

-13.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.02 $2.02

-33.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$5.38 $5.38

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$7.72 $7.72

-41.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$0.90 $0.90

74.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$3.40 $3.40

-6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$3.48 $3.48

-30.46%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$2.97 $2.97

20.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$9.53 $9.53

-22.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$9.45 $9.45

10.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$13.61 $13.61

0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$4.96 $4.96

-53.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.10 $1.10

46.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$6.22 $6.22

-23.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$4.92 $4.92

-66.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$3.92 $3.92

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$3.58 $3.58

-0.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$1.97 $1.97

-44.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.69 $1.69

50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$12.15 $12.15

-59.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$14.52 $14.52

37.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.69 $1.69

65.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$3.55 $3.55

-0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$123 $123

-41.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$2.53 $2.53

-11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$1.51 $1.51

2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$31.20 $31.20

-71.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.98 $0.98

60.20%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$36.0K $36.0K

-39.52%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$25.8K $25.8K

34.03%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$233 $233

-59.82%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$49.57 $49.57

-29.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$65.2 $65.2

-20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$75.9 $75.9

-5.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$49.27 $49.27

-28.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$10.04 $10.04

-21.91%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$996 $996

-50.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$28.0K $28.0K

-57.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$25.05 $25.05

113.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$25.18 $25.18

121.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$49.40 $49.40

60.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$59.7 $59.7

32.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$1,117 $1,117

-29.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$871 $871

-10.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$2,020 $2,020

91.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$1,727 $1,727

-18.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$2,755 $2,755

153.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$2,795 $2,795

-57.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$3,308 $3,308

-73.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.31

36.61%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Alexandria, MN: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Alexandria, MN

$871 40.5% 11.7% $91

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Alexandria, MN

$358 16.7% 2.4% $8.5

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Alexandria, MN

$272 12.7% 30.1% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Alexandria, MN

$347 16.2% 92.9% $167

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Alexandria, MN

$72 3.3% 40.4% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Alexandria, MN

$96 4.5% 10.2% $8.9

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Alexandria, MN

$133 * 6.2% 53.7% $47

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 $786 in Nosara and $1,117 in Alexandria, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria, MN pays 277% 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: $60.0 in Nosara vs $60.0 in Alexandria, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $358 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Alexandria, MN

🕒 Local time

05:31 5:31 AM

06:31 6:31 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

160,035

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Alexandria, MN 4,100 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Alexandria, MN

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

Nosara vs Alexandria, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Alexandria, MN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 277% lower in Alexandria, MN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $786 in Nosara versus $1,117 in Alexandria, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $996 in Alexandria, MN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Alexandria, MN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,122 in Alexandria, MN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Alexandria, MN. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Alexandria, MN 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 15% less than in Alexandria, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.