Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Federal Way, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,324 in Federal Way, WA, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 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
162

Cost of Living Index in Federal Way, WA
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Federal Way, WA Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Federal Way, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,324

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Federal Way, WA

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 Federal Way, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $3,324 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Federal Way, WA $3,324

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $4,324 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Federal Way, WA $4,324

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $5,324 in Federal Way, WA, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Federal Way, WA $5,324

Nosara is about 45% cheaper than Federal Way, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Federal Way, WA sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Federal Way, WA by 146%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$24.74 $24.74

-50.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$76.1 $76.1

-19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$12.56 $12.56

-40.13%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.82 $5.82

-24.23%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.93 $2.93

-40.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.67 $1.67

-21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$7.06 $7.06

-53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$7.12 $7.12

-37.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.09 $1.09

43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$4.07 $4.07

-25.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.05 $3.05

-17.70%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$5.09 $5.09

-29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$16.26 $16.26

-54.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$10.51 $10.51

0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$19.36 $19.36

-27.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$5.13 $5.13

-54.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.58 $1.58

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$4.31 $4.31

11.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$4.64 $4.64

-65.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.69 $2.69

41.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.39 $2.39

54.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.23 $2.23

-49.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$2.61 $2.61

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$13.08 $13.08

-60.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$15.19 $15.19

30.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.71 $1.71

69.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$4.84 $4.84

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.65 $2.65

-57.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.63 $2.63

-18.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.67 $1.67

-5.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$29.83 $29.83

-71.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.32 $1.32

15.15%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$36.4K $36.4K

-40.66%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$25.7K $25.7K

34.33%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$157 $157

-38.83%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$76.9 $76.9

-53.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$88.0 $88.0

-39.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$12.95 $12.95

452.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$11.79 $11.79

-33.08%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$1,446 $1,446

-65.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$32.2K $32.2K

-63.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$45.83 $45.83

17.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$44.65 $44.65

24.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$84.4 $84.4

-7.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$100 $100

-20.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$2,017 $2,017

-60.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$2,025 $2,025

-60.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,773 $2,773

42.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$2,419 $2,419

-41.32%

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

$4,440 $4,440

-80.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.64

29.82%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Federal Way, WA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Federal Way, WA

$2K 60.9% 155% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Federal Way, WA

$421 12.7% 19.4% $68

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Federal Way, WA

$373 11.2% 76.2% $161

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Federal Way, WA

$322 9.7% 73.5% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Federal Way, WA

$124 3.7% 3.2% $3.8

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Federal Way, WA

$37 1.1% 58.2% $51

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Federal Way, WA

$22 * 0.7% 75.2% $66

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $2,017 in Federal Way, WA. 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 414% higher in Federal Way, WA, 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 $76.0 in Federal Way, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $421 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Federal Way, WA

🕒 Local time

01:46 1:46 AM

00:46 12:46 AM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

101,030

💱 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 Federal Way, WA 5,390 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Federal Way, WA

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 Federal Way, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Federal Way, WA is pricier by about 81%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $4,985 in Federal Way, WA. 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 $1,839 in Nosara and $3,324 in Federal Way, WA. That's a gap of about 81%.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $1,446 in Federal Way, WA. 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 $1,839, than in Federal Way, WA at $3,324. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Federal Way, WA 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, Federal Way, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.