Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Athens, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,200 in Athens, GA, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Athens, GA
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Athens, GA Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Athens, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,200

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Athens, GA

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

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $2,200 in Athens, GA, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Athens, GA $2,200

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $3,313 in Athens, GA, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Athens, GA $3,313

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $4,426 in Athens, GA, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Athens, GA $4,426

Nosara is about 17% cheaper than Athens, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nosara and Athens, GA sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Athens, GA by 62%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$13.19 $13.19

-6.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$63.7 $63.7

-3.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$10.36 $10.36

-25.10%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.70 $5.70

-22.11%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$2.93 $2.93

-38.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$2.21 $2.21

-41.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$7.52 $7.52

-56.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$7.79 $7.79

-43.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$0.82 $0.82

89.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$2.93 $2.93

5.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$6.57 $6.57

-61.49%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$3.27 $3.27

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$8.81 $8.81

-16.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$10.55 $10.55

-2.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$14.58 $14.58

-3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$5.96 $5.96

-61.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.36 $1.36

20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$6.23 $6.23

-23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$4.73 $4.73

-65.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$4.21 $4.21

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$4.15 $4.15

-9.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.62 $2.62

-58.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$1.98 $1.98

30.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$9.03 $9.03

-43.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$18.65 $18.65

6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.78 $1.78

57.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$5.93 $5.93

-40.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$15.58 $15.58

374.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.00 $1.00

55.00%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$28.4K $28.4K

21.82%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$27.0K $27.0K

43.78%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$285 $285

-66.67%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$41.91 $41.91

-13.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$79.7 $79.7

-33.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$25.05 $25.05

194.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$7.80 $7.80

356.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$12.95 $12.95

-38.92%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$872 $872

-43.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$9,396 $9,396

26.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$54.8 $54.8

0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$31.97 $31.97

74.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$64.6 $64.6

24.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$54.5 $54.5

43.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$1,340 $1,340

-40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$957 $957

-17.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$2,322 $2,322

72.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$1,860 $1,860

-24.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$2,420 $2,420

191.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$2,230 $2,230

-44.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$3,487 $3,487

-74.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.72

28.27%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Athens, GA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Athens, GA

$957 43.5% 21.1% $167

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Athens, GA

$399 18.2% 14.2% $50

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Athens, GA

$279 12.7% 31.1% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Athens, GA

$406 18.5% 121% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Athens, GA

$93 4.2% 23.5% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Athens, GA

$51 2.3% 43.2% $39

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Athens, GA

$16 * 0.7% 82.4% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $1,340 in Athens, GA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 293% higher in Athens, GA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $64.0 in Athens, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $399 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Athens, GA

🕒 Local time

02:43 2:43 AM

04:43 4:43 AM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

115,452

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Athens, GA 2,680 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Athens, GA

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 Athens, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Athens, GA is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $3,300 in Athens, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Athens, GA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $64.0 in Athens, GA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Athens, GA at $2,200. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Athens, GA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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