Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Fort Atkinson, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fort Atkinson, WI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Fort Atkinson, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,292
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Fort Atkinson, WI

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 Fort Atkinson, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Fort Atkinson, WI $2,292

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $3,361 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Fort Atkinson, WI $3,361

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $4,430 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Fort Atkinson, WI $4,430

Nosara is about 20% cheaper than Fort Atkinson, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nosara and Fort Atkinson, WI sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Fort Atkinson, WI by 69%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$13.85 $13.85
-10.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$75.8 $75.8
-19.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$12.21 $12.21
-36.45%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$5.27 $5.27
-15.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$2.91 $2.91
-38.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$2.35 $2.35
-45.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$5.94 $5.94
-45.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$8.28 $8.28
-46.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$0.82 $0.82
89.02%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$2.15 $2.15
43.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$2.86 $2.86
-11.54%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$3.49 $3.49
-1.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$7.84 $7.84
-6.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$10.91 $10.91
-6.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$10.56 $10.56
33.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$5.74 $5.74
-60.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.72 $1.72
-4.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$3.45 $3.45
38.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$4.82 $4.82
-65.98%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$2.75 $2.75
40.00%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$3.21 $3.21
16.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$1.99 $1.99
-45.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$1.97 $1.97
31.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$12.14 $12.14
-57.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$8.14 $8.14
144.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$1.68 $1.68
66.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$3.27 $3.27
7.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.92 $1.92
-36.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$3.17 $3.17
-31.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$1.78 $1.78
-12.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$31.11 $31.11
-72.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.01 $1.01
53.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$34.7K $34.7K
-0.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$25.8K $25.8K
50.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$173 $173
-45.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$49.97 $49.97
-27.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$50.5 $50.5
5.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$36.40 $36.40
102.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$8.16 $8.16
-3.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$1,177 $1,177
-58.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$24.3K $24.3K
-51.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$19.69 $19.69
178.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$14.80 $14.80
277.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$44.96 $44.96
78.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$64.4 $64.4
21.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$1,588 $1,588
-49.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$1,284 $1,284
-38.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$2,522 $2,522
58.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$2,145 $2,145
-34.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$2,512 $2,512
181.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$2,233 $2,233
-44.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Fort Atkinson, WI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.43
34.06%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Fort Atkinson, WI: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Fort Atkinson, WI
$1.3K 62.7% $495
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Fort Atkinson, WI
$319 8.7% $30
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Fort Atkinson, WI
$278 30.7% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Fort Atkinson, WI
$273 48.5% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Fort Atkinson, WI
$65 46.5% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Fort Atkinson, WI
$53 41.2% $37
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Fort Atkinson, WI
$20 * 77.7% $69

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 $1,588 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $76.0 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $319 in Fort Atkinson, WI – so Fort Atkinson, WI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇺🇸 Fort Atkinson, WI
🕒 Local time
22:41 10:41 PM
23:41 11:41 PM
1 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
12,500
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Fort Atkinson, WI 3,680 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Fort Atkinson, WI

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 Fort Atkinson, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nosara or Fort Atkinson, WI?
Fort Atkinson, WI costs about 25% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nosara and in Fort Atkinson, WI?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $3,438 in Fort Atkinson, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Nosara or Fort Atkinson, WI?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Nosara compared to Fort Atkinson, WI?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,835 in Nosara and $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI. That's a gap of about 25%.
How do childcare costs compare in Nosara and in Fort Atkinson, WI?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $1,177 in Fort Atkinson, WI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Nosara or in Fort Atkinson, WI?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Fort Atkinson, WI at $2,292. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Atkinson, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nosara or Fort Atkinson, WI?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,835 versus $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Nosara compared to Fort Atkinson, WI?
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.
Should I move to Nosara or to Fort Atkinson, WI?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fort Atkinson, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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