Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and East Chicago, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,544 in East Chicago, IN, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 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
124

Cost of Living Index in East Chicago, IN
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East Chicago, IN Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

East Chicago, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $2,544 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
East Chicago, IN $2,544

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $3,746 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
East Chicago, IN $3,746

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $4,947 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
East Chicago, IN $4,947

Nosara is about 28% cheaper than East Chicago, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and East Chicago, IN sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, East Chicago, IN by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$20.94 $20.94

-41.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$80.0 $80.0

-23.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$10.63 $10.63

-27.00%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.62 $5.62

-21.00%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$2.83 $2.83

-36.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$2.27 $2.27

-43.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$6.14 $6.14

-47.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$6.98 $6.98

-36.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.01 $1.01

53.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$3.24 $3.24

-4.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$4.29 $4.29

-41.03%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$4.41 $4.41

-21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$13.51 $13.51

-45.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$13.16 $13.16

-22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$14.80 $14.80

-4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$5.07 $5.07

-54.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.68 $1.68

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.24 $4.24

12.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$4.06 $4.06

-59.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$2.71 $2.71

42.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$3.00 $3.00

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.01 $2.01

-45.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$2.20 $2.20

17.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$10.89 $10.89

-52.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$13.64 $13.64

46.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$2.17 $2.17

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$3.33 $3.33

5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$2.27 $2.27

-46.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$3.43 $3.43

-36.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.88 $1.88

-17.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$27.32 $27.32

-68.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$0.92 $0.92

68.48%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$26.7K $26.7K

29.41%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$24.1K $24.1K

60.76%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$200 $200

-52.60%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$58.1 $58.1

-37.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$69.0 $69.0

-23.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$38.78 $38.78

90.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$12.56 $12.56

-37.02%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$1,575 $1,575

-68.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$24.2K $24.2K

-50.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$45.67 $45.67

19.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$40.79 $40.79

36.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$88.8 $88.8

-9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$109 $109

-28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$1,611 $1,611

-50.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$1,277 $1,277

-38.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$2,510 $2,510

59.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$2,125 $2,125

-33.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$2,782 $2,782

153.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$2,636 $2,636

-53.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$4,143 $4,143

-78.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.57

31.20%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for East Chicago, IN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

East Chicago, IN

$1.3K 50.2% 61.7% $487

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

East Chicago, IN

$394 15.5% 12.7% $44

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

East Chicago, IN

$332 13.1% 56.1% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

East Chicago, IN

$327 12.9% 77.8% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

East Chicago, IN

$128 5% 5.9% $7.1

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

East Chicago, IN

$64 2.5% 28.7% $26

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

East Chicago, IN

$22 * 0.9% 75.3% $67

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 $1,611 in East Chicago, IN. 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 367% higher in East Chicago, IN, 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 $80.0 in East Chicago, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $394 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 East Chicago, IN

🕒 Local time

12:52 12:52 PM

13:52 1:52 PM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

26,370

💱 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 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara East Chicago, IN 3,520 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – East Chicago, IN is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $3,815 in East Chicago, IN. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,835 in Nosara and $2,544 in East Chicago, IN. That's a gap of about 39%.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $1,575 in East Chicago, IN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in East Chicago, IN at $2,544. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in East Chicago, IN 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, East Chicago, IN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.