Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Elizabeth, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,186 in Elizabeth, 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
156

Cost of Living Index in Elizabeth, NJ
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Elizabeth, NJ Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Nosara $1,835
Elizabeth, NJ $3,186

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $4,453 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Nosara $2,825
Elizabeth, NJ $4,453

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $5,720 in Elizabeth, NJ.

Nosara $3,814
Elizabeth, NJ $5,720

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 35% above, Elizabeth, NJ 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$19.71 $19.71

-37.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$80.4 $80.4

-23.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$11.89 $11.89

-34.74%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.45 $5.45

-18.53%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$2.43 $2.43

-26.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$1.49 $1.49

-13.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$7.78 $7.78

-58.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$7.15 $7.15

-38.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.27 $1.27

22.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$4.50 $4.50

-31.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$5.96 $5.96

-57.55%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$6.52 $6.52

-47.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$15.31 $15.31

-52.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$11.83 $11.83

-13.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$19.73 $19.73

-28.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$5.95 $5.95

-61.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$3.55 $3.55

-53.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.20 $4.20

14.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$5.42 $5.42

-69.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$2.99 $2.99

28.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$2.95 $2.95

27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$3.00 $3.00

-63.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$2.52 $2.52

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$14.62 $14.62

-64.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$15.29 $15.29

30.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$2.70 $2.70

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$3.41 $3.41

3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$2.88 $2.88

-57.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$76.0 $76.0

-2.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$2.92 $2.92

-25.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$2.11 $2.11

-26.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$42.39 $42.39

-79.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.09 $1.09

42.20%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$27.9K $27.9K

23.65%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$26.3K $26.3K

47.36%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$247 $247

-61.67%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$51.0 $51.0

-29.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$50.1 $50.1

5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$24.78 $24.78

197.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$20.03 $20.03

-60.51%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$2,012 $2,012

-75.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$16.2K $16.2K

-26.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$49.63 $49.63

10.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$77.6 $77.6

-28.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$87.9 $87.9

-8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$122 $122

-35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$2,181 $2,181

-63.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$1,718 $1,718

-54.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$2,668 $2,668

50.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$2,492 $2,492

-43.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$1,297 $1,297

444.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$1,143 $1,143

8.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$3,997 $3,997

-77.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.67

29.24%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Elizabeth, NJ

$1.7K 53.9% 118% $928

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Elizabeth, NJ

$475 14.9% 35.8% $125

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Elizabeth, NJ

$328 10.3% 54% $115

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Elizabeth, NJ

$348 10.9% 89.3% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Elizabeth, NJ

$152 4.8% 25.2% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Elizabeth, NJ

$65 2% 27.6% $25

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Elizabeth, NJ

$101 3.2% 13.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Nosara and $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elizabeth, NJ pays 351% 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 $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $475 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Elizabeth, NJ

🕒 Local time

19:29 7:29 PM

21:29 9:29 PM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

126,179

💱 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 21, 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 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Elizabeth, NJ 3,590 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Elizabeth, NJ differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,835 vs $3,186 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 351% lower in Elizabeth, 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: $801 in Nosara versus $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $2,012 in Elizabeth, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Elizabeth, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,835 in Nosara versus $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.