Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ellicott City, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,456 in Ellicott City, MD, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 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
168

Cost of Living Index in Ellicott City, MD
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Ellicott City, MD Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Ellicott City, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ellicott City, MD

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 Ellicott City, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $3,456 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Ellicott City, MD $3,456

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $4,609 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Ellicott City, MD $4,609

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $5,762 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Ellicott City, MD $5,762

Nosara is about 47% cheaper than Ellicott City, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Ellicott City, MD sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Ellicott City, MD by 155%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$17.95 $17.95

-31.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$96.3 $96.3

-36.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$10.76 $10.76

-27.88%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.19 $5.19

-14.45%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$3.48 $3.48

-48.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$2.64 $2.64

-51.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$7.16 $7.16

-54.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$8.20 $8.20

-45.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.16 $1.16

33.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$4.10 $4.10

-24.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$3.91 $3.91

-35.29%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$4.71 $4.71

-26.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$16.82 $16.82

-56.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$13.10 $13.10

-21.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$18.63 $18.63

-24.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$5.90 $5.90

-61.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.59 $1.59

3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.19 $4.19

14.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$4.32 $4.32

-62.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$2.16 $2.16

78.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$2.62 $2.62

43.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.37 $2.37

-54.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$2.26 $2.26

14.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$13.63 $13.63

-62.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$15.75 $15.75

26.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$2.68 $2.68

4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$3.13 $3.13

12.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$1.77 $1.77

22.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.34 $1.34

16.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$23.53 $23.53

-63.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$0.94 $0.94

64.89%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$22.8K $22.8K

51.59%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$24.3K $24.3K

59.67%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$205 $205

-53.80%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$51.0 $51.0

-29.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$79.6 $79.6

-33.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$114 $114

-35.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$14.86 $14.86

-46.77%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$1,971 $1,971

-75.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$35.0K $35.0K

-66.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$51.3 $51.3

6.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$56.0 $56.0

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$90.6 $90.6

-11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$113 $113

-31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$2,470 $2,470

-67.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$2,078 $2,078

-61.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$2,963 $2,963

35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$2,651 $2,651

-46.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$2,585 $2,585

-52.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$4,995 $4,995

-82.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.79

26.95%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Ellicott City, MD: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Ellicott City, MD

$2.1K 60.1% 163% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Ellicott City, MD

$436 12.6% 24.6% $86

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Ellicott City, MD

$315 9.1% 48% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Ellicott City, MD

$336 9.7% 82.5% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Ellicott City, MD

$140 4.1% 15.7% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Ellicott City, MD

$144 4.2% 60.5% $54

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Ellicott City, MD

$8.5 * 0.3% 90.5% $80

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 $2,470 in Ellicott City, MD. 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 463% higher in Ellicott City, MD, 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 $96.0 in Ellicott City, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $436 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Ellicott City, MD

🕒 Local time

15:18 3:18 PM

17:18 5:18 PM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

65,834

💱 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 Ellicott City, MD 3,370 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Ellicott City, MD

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 Ellicott City, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ellicott City, MD is pricier by about 88%, 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 $5,184 in Ellicott City, MD. 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 $3,456 in Ellicott City, MD. That's a gap of about 88%.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $1,971 in Ellicott City, MD. 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 Ellicott City, MD at $3,456. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ellicott City, MD 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, Ellicott City, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.