Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and El Dorado, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in El Dorado, AR: $1,746 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
84

Cost of Living Index in El Dorado, AR
Learn more

El Dorado, AR Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

El Dorado, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,746

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in El Dorado, AR

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 El Dorado, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $1,746 in El Dorado, AR.

Nosara $1,835
El Dorado, AR $1,746

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $2,547 in El Dorado, AR.

Nosara $2,825
El Dorado, AR $2,547

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $3,348 in El Dorado, AR.

Nosara $3,814
El Dorado, AR $3,348

Living in Nosara is roughly 5% more expensive than in El Dorado, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 35% above, El Dorado, AR 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$17.29 $17.29

-28.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$59.0 $59.0

3.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$10.86 $10.86

-28.55%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.04 $5.04

-11.90%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$3.04 $3.04

-41.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$2.41 $2.41

-46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$4.95 $4.95

-34.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$6.31 $6.31

-29.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.10 $1.10

40.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$2.70 $2.70

14.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$2.80 $2.80

-9.64%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$3.36 $3.36

2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$10.17 $10.17

-28.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$11.99 $11.99

-14.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$22.50 $22.50

-37.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$4.31 $4.31

-46.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.45 $1.45

13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.48 $4.48

6.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$3.76 $3.76

-56.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$1.57 $1.57

145.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$2.51 $2.51

49.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$1.92 $1.92

-43.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$1.84 $1.84

40.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$9.36 $9.36

-45.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$13.55 $13.55

47.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.77 $1.77

58.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$1.69 $1.69

108.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$1.81 $1.81

-32.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$2.46 $2.46

-11.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.52 $1.52

2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$24.11 $24.11

-64.04%

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

29.27%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$26.3K $26.3K

47.24%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$134 $134

-28.99%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$59.8 $59.8

-39.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$39.23 $39.23

35.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$42.36 $42.36

74.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$9.09 $9.09

-12.98%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$1,036 $1,036

-52.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$19.1K $19.1K

-37.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$50.9 $50.9

7.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$34.32 $34.32

62.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$79.1 $79.1

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$61.0 $61.0

27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$1,537 $1,537

-47.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$678 $678

16.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$1,892 $1,892

111.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$941 $941

49.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$1,185 $1,185

496.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$1,146 $1,146

7.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$4,169 $4,169

-78.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.75

27.70%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for El Dorado, AR: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

El Dorado, AR

$678 38.8% 14.2% $112

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

El Dorado, AR

$366 21% 4.8% $17

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

El Dorado, AR

$291 16.6% 36.6% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

El Dorado, AR

$233 13.3% 26.4% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

El Dorado, AR

$101 5.8% 16.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

El Dorado, AR

$61 3.5% 32.4% $29

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

El Dorado, AR

$17 * 1% 80.5% $71

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Nosara and $1,537 in El Dorado, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 370% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $59.0 in El Dorado, AR. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $366, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 El Dorado, AR

🕒 Local time

06:24 6:24 AM

07:24 7:24 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

17,756

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara El Dorado, AR 2,680 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
El Dorado, AR

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 El Dorado, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Dorado, AR is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 370% lower in El Dorado, AR. 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: $801 in Nosara versus $1,537 in El Dorado, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Nosara pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,835 per month in Nosara versus $1,746 in El Dorado, AR – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,746 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $2,500 budget is realistic in El Dorado, AR but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes El Dorado, AR the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Dorado, AR is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and El Dorado, AR 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 El Dorado, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.