Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ames, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,142 in Ames, IA, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Ames, IA
Learn more

Ames, IA Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Ames, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ames, IA

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 Ames, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,142 in Ames, IA.

Nosara $1,839
Ames, IA $2,142

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,242 in Ames, IA.

Nosara $2,828
Ames, IA $3,242

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $4,342 in Ames, IA.

Nosara $3,818
Ames, IA $4,342

Living in Nosara costs roughly 14% less than in Ames, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Ames, IA 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$18.13 $18.13

-31.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$52.0 $52.0

17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$12.18 $12.18

-38.26%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$4.87 $4.87

-9.45%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.60 $2.60

-33.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$2.25 $2.25

-41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$4.05 $4.05

-19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$6.81 $6.81

-34.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.89 $0.89

75.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.55 $3.55

-14.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.26 $3.26

-23.01%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.34 $3.34

6.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$10.08 $10.08

-26.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$13.62 $13.62

-22.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$19.05 $19.05

-26.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$5.88 $5.88

-60.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.82 $1.82

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$6.69 $6.69

-28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$5.22 $5.22

-69.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$4.54 $4.54

-16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$4.07 $4.07

-9.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.32 $2.32

-51.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$2.44 $2.44

9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$13.03 $13.03

-60.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$16.11 $16.11

23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.87 $2.87

1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$4.98 $4.98

-27.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.99 $0.99

13.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$35.57 $35.57

104.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$5.09 $5.09

-57.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.69 $1.69

-7.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$24.13 $24.13

-64.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.96 $0.96

58.33%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$24.7K $24.7K

-12.64%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$25.1K $25.1K

37.67%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$176 $176

-45.38%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$54.3 $54.3

-33.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$71.2 $71.2

-24.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$69.0 $69.0

3.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$19.74 $19.74

76.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$15.97 $15.97

-50.59%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$1,370 $1,370

-63.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$36.1K $36.1K

-67.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$58.4 $58.4

-7.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$44.68 $44.68

24.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$90.1 $90.1

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$105 $105

-23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$1,005 $1,005

-21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$822 $822

-3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,860 $1,860

111.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,505 $1,505

-5.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,432 $2,432

184.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,185 $2,185

-43.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$3,597 $3,597

-76.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.41

34.48%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ames, IA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Ames, IA

$822 38.4% 3.5% $28

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Ames, IA

$436 20.4% 23.9% $84

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Ames, IA

$293 13.7% 38.5% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Ames, IA

$302 14.1% 62.5% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Ames, IA

$134 6.3% 11.6% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Ames, IA

$101 4.7% 15.5% $14

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Ames, IA

$53 2.5% 39.1% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $1,005 in Ames, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 317% 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: $61.0 in Nosara vs $52.0 in Ames, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $436, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Ames, IA

🕒 Local time

15:04 3:04 PM

16:04 4:04 PM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

66,427

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Ames, IA 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Ames, IA

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 Ames, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Ames, IA. 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 317% lower in Ames, IA. 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: $788 in Nosara versus $1,005 in Ames, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 104% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $1,370 in Ames, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,142 in Ames, IA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. 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 $1,839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Ames, IA 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 16% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.