Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Hilton, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,781 in Hilton, NY, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Hilton, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,781
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Hilton, NY

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 Hilton, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $2,781 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Hilton, NY $2,781

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $3,903 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Hilton, NY $3,903

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $5,026 in Hilton, NY, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Hilton, NY $5,026

Nosara is about 34% cheaper than Hilton, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Hilton, NY sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Hilton, NY by 105%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$19.93 $19.93
-38.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$80.4 $80.4
-23.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$10.97 $10.97
-29.26%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$5.61 $5.61
-20.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$2.31 $2.31
-22.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$2.29 $2.29
-43.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$6.00 $6.00
-46.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$7.64 $7.64
-42.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$1.06 $1.06
46.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$3.17 $3.17
-2.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$4.82 $4.82
-47.51%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$3.99 $3.99
-13.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$13.78 $13.78
-46.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$12.43 $12.43
-17.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$15.73 $15.73
-10.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$4.49 $4.49
-49.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.65 $1.65
-0.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$4.10 $4.10
16.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$4.26 $4.26
-61.50%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$2.44 $2.44
57.79%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$2.56 $2.56
46.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$2.36 $2.36
-53.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$2.02 $2.02
28.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$8.64 $8.64
-40.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$14.37 $14.37
38.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$2.22 $2.22
26.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$3.27 $3.27
7.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.89 $1.89
-35.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$2.64 $2.64
-17.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$1.83 $1.83
-14.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$31.58 $31.58
-72.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.02 $1.02
51.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$30.1K $30.1K
14.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$25.4K $25.4K
52.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$225 $225
-57.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$59.6 $59.6
-39.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$76.2 $76.2
-30.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$37.12 $37.12
98.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$15.76 $15.76
-49.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$1,604 $1,604
-69.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$21.6K $21.6K
-44.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$53.3 $53.3
2.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$36.58 $36.58
52.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$77.6 $77.6
3.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$109 $109
-28.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$1,541 $1,541
-48.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$1,493 $1,493
-47.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$2,387 $2,387
67.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$2,201 $2,201
-35.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$2,918 $2,918
142.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$2,375 $2,375
-47.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Hilton, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.57
31.20%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Hilton, NY: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Hilton, NY
$1.5K 89.2% $704
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Hilton, NY
$391 11.8% $41
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Hilton, NY
$323 52% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Hilton, NY
$361 95.9% $176
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Hilton, NY
$124 2.8% $3.4
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Hilton, NY
$69 23.4% $21
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Hilton, NY
$19 * 78.2% $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 $1,541 in Hilton, NY. 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 $80.0 in Hilton, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $391 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇺🇸 Hilton, NY
🕒 Local time
18:12 6:12 PM
20:12 8:12 PM
2 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
6,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 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 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Hilton, NY 3,780 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Hilton, NY

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 Hilton, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nosara or Hilton, NY?
Hilton, NY costs about 52% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nosara and in Hilton, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $4,171 in Hilton, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Nosara or Hilton, NY?
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 Hilton, NY?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,835 in Nosara and $2,781 in Hilton, NY. That's a gap of about 52%.
How do childcare costs compare in Nosara and in Hilton, NY?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $1,604 in Hilton, NY. 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 Hilton, NY?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Hilton, NY at $2,781. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hilton, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nosara or Hilton, NY?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,835 versus $2,781 in Hilton, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Nosara compared to Hilton, NY?
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 Hilton, NY?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hilton, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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