Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Idaho Falls, ID

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,844 a month against $2,331 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Idaho Falls, ID outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

88

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Idaho Falls, ID
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Idaho Falls, ID Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,844

/mo nomad

Idaho Falls, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,331

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Idaho Falls, ID

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 Idaho Falls, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,844 per month in Nosara vs $2,331 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

Nosara $1,844
Idaho Falls, ID $2,331

A couple spends around $2,817 per month in Nosara vs $3,363 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

Nosara $2,817
Idaho Falls, ID $3,363

A family of three spends $3,790 per month in Nosara vs $4,394 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

Nosara $3,790
Idaho Falls, ID $4,394

Nosara is about 21% cheaper than Idaho Falls, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Idaho Falls, ID sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Idaho Falls, ID by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,568

$18.32 $18.32

-32.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$52.6 $52.6

15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 ₡3,513

$9.98 $9.98

-21.74%

Cappuccino

$4.37 ₡1,966

$4.99 $4.99

-12.42%

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

$1.78 ₡800

$2.27 $2.27

-21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡605

$1.54 $1.54

-12.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 ₡1,526

$3.90 $3.90

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₡1,939

$7.15 $7.15

-39.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

$0.70 $0.70

121.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,425

$3.83 $3.83

-17.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,130

$2.96 $2.96

-15.20%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$4.05 $4.05

-12.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 ₡3,313

$11.95 $11.95

-38.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.46 ₡4,703

$6.52 $6.52

60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 ₡6,255

$9.73 $9.73

42.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$2.10 $2.10

7.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.20 $1.20

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,113

$2.12 $2.12

121.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₡729

$2.08 $2.08

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 ₡1,746

$1.61 $1.61

140.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,704

$2.41 $2.41

57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ₡481

$1.90 $1.90

-43.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,174

$1.93 $1.93

35.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.16 ₡2,319

$10.43 $10.43

-50.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 ₡9,143

$7.40 $7.40

174.73%

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

$1.49 $1.49

146.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡588

$3.08 $3.08

-57.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 ₡32.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ₡984

$2.46 $2.46

-10.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 ₡829

$2.35 $2.35

-21.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 ₡3,513

$25.10 $25.10

-68.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$1.06 $1.06

47.17%

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

$33.4K ₡15.0M

$35.2K $35.2K

-5.17%

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

$38.1K ₡17.1M

$26.4K $26.4K

44.21%

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

$95.9 ₡43.1K

$171 $171

-44.07%

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

$35.37 ₡15.9K

$53.2 $53.2

-33.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 ₡24.1K

$63.8 $63.8

-15.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 ₡30.3K

$37.97 $37.97

77.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.43 ₡15.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 ₡3,473

$11.60 $11.60

-33.45%

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

$496 ₡222.8K

$932 $932

-46.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$27.1K $27.1K

-56.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 ₡24.6K

$41.22 $41.22

32.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 ₡24.7K

$46.12 $46.12

19.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 ₡35.9K

$69.9 $69.9

14.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$95.7 $95.7

-18.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₡367.5K

$1,328 $1,328

-38.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₡359.7K

$1,282 $1,282

-37.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,889 ₡1.7M

$2,034 $2,034

91.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 ₡627.6K

$2,147 $2,147

-34.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,977 ₡3.1M

$1,891 $1,891

269.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 ₡549.6K

$1,963 $1,963

-37.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$879 ₡395.3K

$3,550 $3,550

-75.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.12

40.85%

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

Last update for Nosara: November 3, 2026

Last update for Idaho Falls, ID: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$800 43.4%

Idaho Falls, ID

$1.3K 55% 60.2% $481

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$353 19.1%

Idaho Falls, ID

$275 11.8% 22.1% $78

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Idaho Falls, ID

$285 12.2% 33.9% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$185 10%

Idaho Falls, ID

$288 12.4% 55.9% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Idaho Falls, ID

$114 4.9% 5.4% $6.5

Getting Around

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Idaho Falls, ID

$27 * 1.1% 70.5% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$83 4.5%

Idaho Falls, ID

$61 2.6% 26.2% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Nosara versus $1,328 in Idaho Falls, ID. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Idaho Falls, ID are about 4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Nosara versus $53 in Idaho Falls, ID. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $275 – making Idaho Falls, ID the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Idaho Falls, ID

🕒 Local time

02:12 2:12 AM

01:12 1:12 AM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

61,459

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Idaho Falls, ID 4,510 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Idaho Falls, ID

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 Idaho Falls, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Idaho Falls, ID is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,765 per month in Nosara and $3,497 in Idaho Falls, ID. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $817 there versus $1,328 in Idaho Falls, ID.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,844 in Nosara and $2,331 in Idaho Falls, ID. That makes Nosara about 21% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $496 per month in Nosara and $932 in Idaho Falls, ID. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,844 in Nosara and $2,331 in Idaho Falls, ID, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Idaho Falls, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.