Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Arica

For one person, living is cheaper in Arica: $111 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Arica
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Arica Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Arica

🇨🇱 Chile

$111

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Arica

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $111 in Arica, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Arica $111

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $178 in Arica, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Arica $178

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $246 in Arica, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Arica $246

Nosara costs about 1560% more than Arica, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Arica is 92% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,550

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,379

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,982

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

$1.74 ₡781

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡588

$1.25 CLP 1,230

4.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,474

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,008

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$1.01 CLP 992

54.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,358

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,606

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,340

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,727

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,277

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,156

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,660

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡508

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,326

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,934

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,303

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,629

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡505

$0.70 CLP 691

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡960

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡705

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,830

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.3K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,546

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

$494 ₡222.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$40.20 CLP 39.6K

34.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$20.59 CLP 20.3K

169.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$53.9 CLP 53.1K

44.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$91.7 CLP 90.3K

-13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡354.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡550.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡388.0K

$504 CLP 496.1K

71.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

72.40%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Arica: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Arica

$10 * 9.1% 97.1% $342

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Arica

$5 * 4.5% 97.6% $207

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Arica

$93 83.9% 22.7% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Arica

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Arica

$2.8 * 2.5% 96.8% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 71% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇱 Arica

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

06:31 6:31 AM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

202,131

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.15 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 985 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,103 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.07 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Arica 3,580 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Arica

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 Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $111 in Arica – roughly 1560% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $166 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $111 in Arica. That's a gap of about 1560%.

Groceries cost about 3398% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $111, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $111 in Arica to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.