Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Helena, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,844 a month against $3,132 in Helena, MT, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
150

Cost of Living Index in Helena, MT
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Helena, MT Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,844

/mo nomad

Helena, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,132

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Helena, MT

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 Helena, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,844 in Nosara versus $3,132 in Helena, MT.

Nosara $1,844
Helena, MT $3,132

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,817 in Nosara versus $4,595 in Helena, MT.

Nosara $2,817
Helena, MT $4,595

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,790 in Nosara versus $6,059 in Helena, MT.

Nosara $3,790
Helena, MT $6,059

Living in Nosara costs roughly 41% less than in Helena, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Helena, MT 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,568

$21.21 $21.21

-41.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$111 $111

-45.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 ₡3,513

$18.06 $18.06

-56.76%

Cappuccino

$4.37 ₡1,966

$5.01 $5.01

-12.77%

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

$1.78 ₡800

$2.20 $2.20

-19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡605

$1.72 $1.72

-21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₡1,526

$5.10 $5.10

-33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₡1,939

$7.09 $7.09

-39.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

$1.03 $1.03

50.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,425

$3.89 $3.89

-18.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,130

$4.55 $4.55

-44.84%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$3.77 $3.77

-6.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 ₡3,313

$17.72 $17.72

-58.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 ₡4,703

$8.89 $8.89

17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 ₡6,255

$19.91 $19.91

-30.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$4.70 $4.70

-51.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.84 $1.84

-15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,113

$4.42 $4.42

6.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₡729

$4.14 $4.14

-60.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 ₡1,746

$2.11 $2.11

83.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,704

$1.47 $1.47

157.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₡481

$1.65 $1.65

-35.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,174

$1.63 $1.63

60.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.16 ₡2,319

$10.28 $10.28

-49.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 ₡9,143

$12.79 $12.79

58.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,310

$1.78 $1.78

63.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ₡1,651

$2.58 $2.58

42.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡588

$3.45 $3.45

-62.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ₡32.9K

$60.8 $60.8

20.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₡984

$9.90 $9.90

-77.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡829

$3.49 $3.49

-47.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 ₡3,513

$45.50 $45.50

-82.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$0.99 $0.99

57.58%

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

$33.4K ₡15.0M

$35.3K $35.3K

-5.43%

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

$38.1K ₡17.1M

$30.1K $30.1K

26.54%

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

$95.9 ₡43.1K

$376 $376

-74.48%

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

$35.37 ₡15.9K

$67.1 $67.1

-47.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 ₡24.1K

$84.1 $84.1

-36.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 ₡30.3K

$53.1 $53.1

27.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.43 ₡15.9K

$15.23 $15.23

132.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ₡3,473

$11.98 $11.98

-35.56%

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

$496 ₡222.8K

$1,902 $1,902

-73.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$27.9K $27.9K

-57.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 ₡24.6K

$64.3 $64.3

-15.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 ₡24.7K

$117 $117

-52.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 ₡35.9K

$80.6 $80.6

-0.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$122 $122

-35.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₡367.5K

$1,756 $1,756

-53.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₡359.7K

$1,527 $1,527

-47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,889 ₡1.7M

$2,889 $2,889

34.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 ₡627.6K

$2,568 $2,568

-45.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,977 ₡3.1M

$3,430 $3,430

103.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 ₡549.6K

$3,028 $3,028

-59.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$879 ₡395.3K

$6,496 $6,496

-86.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.35

35.75%

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

Last update for Nosara: November 3, 2026

Last update for Helena, MT: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$800 43.4%

Helena, MT

$1.5K 48.8% 90.8% $727

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$353 19.1%

Helena, MT

$388 12.4% 10% $35

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Helena, MT

$339 10.8% 59.2% $126

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$185 10%

Helena, MT

$527 16.8% 185% $342

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Helena, MT

$173 5.5% 43.5% $52

Getting Around

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Helena, MT

$102 3.3% 13.5% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$83 4.5%

Helena, MT

$77 2.5% 7.1% $5.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $817 in Nosara and $1,756 in Helena, MT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays about 7.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Nosara vs $111 in Helena, MT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $388 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Helena, MT

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

05:50 5:50 AM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

32,091

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 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 November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Helena, MT 4,770 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Helena, MT

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 Helena, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,844 in Nosara and $3,132 in Helena, MT, so Nosara is about 41% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Nosara. 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: $817 in Nosara versus $1,756 in Helena, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $496 in Nosara versus $1,902 in Helena, MT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,844 in Nosara versus $3,132 in Helena, MT, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Helena, MT. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Helena, MT are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Nosara wins on affordability, Helena, MT on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.