Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Fort Smith, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Fort Smith, AR
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Fort Smith, AR Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Fort Smith, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Fort Smith, AR

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 Smith, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR.

Nosara $1,839
Fort Smith, AR $1,978

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,030 in Fort Smith, AR.

Nosara $2,828
Fort Smith, AR $3,030

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $4,081 in Fort Smith, AR.

Nosara $3,818
Fort Smith, AR $4,081

Living in Nosara costs roughly 7% less than in Fort Smith, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Fort Smith, AR 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$20.37 $20.37

-39.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$65.0 $65.0

-5.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$11.35 $11.35

-33.74%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.35 $5.35

-17.57%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.31 $2.31

-24.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$2.06 $2.06

-36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$6.13 $6.13

-46.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$9.09 $9.09

-50.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.02 $1.02

52.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.44 $3.44

-12.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.67 $3.67

-31.61%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.97 $2.97

20.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$7.37 $7.37

0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$10.94 $10.94

-3.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$19.62 $19.62

-28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$4.95 $4.95

-52.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.42 $1.42

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.56 $2.56

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$2.10 $2.10

-23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.90 $1.90

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.58 $1.58

133.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.81 $1.81

-37.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$2.26 $2.26

17.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$8.08 $8.08

-35.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$14.13 $14.13

40.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.84 $1.84

57.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.52 $2.52

44.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.28 $1.28

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$35.56 $35.56

104.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.73 $2.73

-21.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.28 $1.28

22.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$30.11 $30.11

-71.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.79 $0.79

92.41%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$25.5K $25.5K

-15.37%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$25.8K $25.8K

33.59%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$274 $274

-64.87%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$70.6 $70.6

-49.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$68.5 $68.5

-21.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$27.02 $27.02

164.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$15.73 $15.73

121.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$13.27 $13.27

-40.54%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$890 $890

-44.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$23.9K $23.9K

-50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$52.9 $52.9

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$41.60 $41.60

33.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$93.6 $93.6

-16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$77.1 $77.1

3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$681 $681

15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$668 $668

18.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,500 $1,500

162.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,328 $1,328

6.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,547 $1,547

346.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,540 $1,540

-20.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$3,041 $3,041

-71.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.38

35.11%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Fort Smith, AR

$668 33.8% 15.9% $126

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Fort Smith, AR

$347 17.5% 1.6% $5.7

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Fort Smith, AR

$328 16.6% 54.6% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Fort Smith, AR

$413 20.9% 122% $227

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Fort Smith, AR

$119 6% 0.6% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Fort Smith, AR

$54 2.7% 38.7% $34

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Fort Smith, AR

$50 2.5% 42.8% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $681 in Fort Smith, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Smith, AR pays 252% 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 $65.0 in Fort Smith, AR. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $347, with Fort Smith, AR cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR

🕒 Local time

10:13 10:13 AM

11:13 11:13 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

89,142

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Fort Smith, AR 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Fort Smith, AR

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 Smith, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Fort Smith, AR. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 252% lower in Fort Smith, AR. 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: $788 in Nosara versus $681 in Fort Smith, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 104% less than in Fort Smith, AR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Fort Smith, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Fort Smith, AR 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 8% less than in Fort Smith, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.