Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Edison, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,191 in Edison, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 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
153

Cost of Living Index in Edison, NJ
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Edison, NJ Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Edison, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,191

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Edison, NJ

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $3,191 in Edison, NJ.

Nosara $1,839
Edison, NJ $3,191

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $4,474 in Edison, NJ.

Nosara $2,828
Edison, NJ $4,474

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $5,758 in Edison, NJ.

Nosara $3,818
Edison, NJ $5,758

Living in Nosara costs roughly 42% less than in Edison, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Edison, NJ 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$18.28 $18.28

-32.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$60.0 $60.0

2.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$9.11 $9.11

-17.45%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$4.10 $4.10

7.56%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.02 $1.02

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.98 $0.98

33.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.54 $3.54

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$6.96 $6.96

-35.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.99 $0.99

57.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.22 $3.22

-6.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$5.88 $5.88

-57.31%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.57 $2.57

38.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$13.43 $13.43

-44.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$10.23 $10.23

2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$19.57 $19.57

-28.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$6.22 $6.22

-62.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.54 $1.54

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$4.21 $4.21

14.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$5.42 $5.42

-70.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.98 $2.98

27.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$3.05 $3.05

20.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$3.04 $3.04

-62.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$2.03 $2.03

31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$9.94 $9.94

-47.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$14.85 $14.85

33.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.80 $1.80

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.51 $3.51

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$6.02 $6.02

-81.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$203 $203

-64.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.09 $3.09

-30.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.95 $0.95

65.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$41.80 $41.80

-79.62%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

-40.03%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$25.4K $25.4K

35.92%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$172 $172

-44.07%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$51.4 $51.4

-30.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$49.68 $49.68

7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$21.66 $21.66

230.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$15.11 $15.11

-47.78%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$2,005 $2,005

-75.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$16.0K $16.0K

-25.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$51.0 $51.0

5.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$79.7 $79.7

-30.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$59.5 $59.5

31.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$89.2 $89.2

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$2,096 $2,096

-62.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$1,835 $1,835

-56.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$3,113 $3,113

26.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$2,796 $2,796

-49.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$6,924 $6,924

-87.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.42

34.27%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Edison, NJ: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Edison, NJ

$1.8K 57.5% 131% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Edison, NJ

$408 12.8% 15.7% $55

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Edison, NJ

$262 8.2% 23.8% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Edison, NJ

$273 8.6% 47.1% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Edison, NJ

$126 3.9% 4.7% $5.6

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Edison, NJ

$52 1.6% 40.6% $35

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Edison, NJ

$235 7.4% 170% $148

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $2,096 in Edison, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Edison, NJ pays 702% 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 $60.0 in Edison, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $408, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Edison, NJ

🕒 Local time

09:12 9:12 AM

11:12 11:12 AM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

107,588

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Edison, NJ 3,570 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Edison, NJ

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 Edison, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Edison, NJ differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $3,191 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 702% lower in Edison, NJ. 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 $2,096 in Edison, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 180% less than in Edison, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $2,005 in Edison, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $3,191 in Edison, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Edison, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Edison, NJ 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 74% less than in Edison, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.