Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Fontana, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,399 in Fontana, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
165

Cost of Living Index in Fontana, CA
Learn more

Fontana, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Fontana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,399

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Fontana, CA

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 Fontana, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $3,399 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Fontana, CA $3,399

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $5,055 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Fontana, CA $5,055

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $6,711 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Fontana, CA $6,711

Nosara is about 46% cheaper than Fontana, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Fontana, CA sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Fontana, CA by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$20.01 $20.01

-38.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$78.4 $78.4

-21.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$14.87 $14.87

-47.81%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.65 $5.65

-21.42%

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

$2.38 $2.38

-45.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$7.28 $7.28

-55.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$9.25 $9.25

-52.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.06 $1.06

46.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$4.12 $4.12

-25.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$4.80 $4.80

-47.29%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$5.03 $5.03

-31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$13.18 $13.18

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$8.66 $8.66

18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$15.23 $15.23

-7.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$4.81 $4.81

-52.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$2.12 $2.12

-22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.00 $4.00

19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$5.71 $5.71

-71.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$3.61 $3.61

6.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$2.30 $2.30

63.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.06 $2.06

-47.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$1.91 $1.91

35.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$11.73 $11.73

-56.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$14.79 $14.79

34.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.94 $1.94

44.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$4.07 $4.07

-13.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$45.84 $45.84

61.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$6.39 $6.39

-66.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.47 $1.47

5.44%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$29.3K $29.3K

17.99%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$26.6K $26.6K

45.67%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$220 $220

-56.94%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$79.5 $79.5

-54.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$59.7 $59.7

-11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$15.18 $15.18

-47.89%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$1,196 $1,196

-59.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$58.6 $58.6

-6.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$39.49 $39.49

41.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$91.6 $91.6

-12.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$103 $103

-24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$2,039 $2,039

-60.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$2,080 $2,080

-62.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$3,222 $3,222

24.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$3,818 $3,818

-63.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$4,917 $4,917

-81.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.31

36.61%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Fontana, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Fontana, CA

$2.1K 61.2% 163% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Fontana, CA

$395 11.6% 13% $45

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Fontana, CA

$351 10.3% 65% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Fontana, CA

$359 10.6% 95.3% $175

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Fontana, CA

$132 3.9% 8.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Fontana, CA

$30 * 0.9% 66.1% $59

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Fontana, CA

$52 * 1.5% 41.1% $36

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 $2,039 in Fontana, CA. 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 455% higher in Fontana, CA, 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 $78.0 in Fontana, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $395 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Fontana, CA

🕒 Local time

16:56 4:56 PM

15:56 3:56 PM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

210,000

💱 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 Fontana, CA 4,200 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Fontana, CA

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 Fontana, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fontana, CA costs about 85% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $5,099 in Fontana, CA. 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 $3,399 in Fontana, CA. That's a gap of about 85%.

Public transport costs about 61% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Fontana, CA at $3,399. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fontana, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,835 versus $3,399 in Fontana, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Fontana, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.