Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Jefferson City, MO

For one person, living costs are similar in Nosara and in Jefferson City, MO: $1,835 and $1,858 a month, rent and utilities included.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Jefferson City, MO
Learn more

Jefferson City, MO Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Jefferson City, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$1,858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO.

Nosara $1,839
Jefferson City, MO $1,858

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $2,890 in Jefferson City, MO.

Nosara $2,828
Jefferson City, MO $2,890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $3,922 in Jefferson City, MO.

Nosara $3,818
Jefferson City, MO $3,922

Living in Nosara costs roughly 1% less than in Jefferson City, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Jefferson City, MO 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$14.97 $14.97

-17.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$39.52 $39.52

55.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$9.98 $9.98

-22.24%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.49 $5.49

-19.13%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$2.04 $2.04

-12.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$2.21 $2.21

-41.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$5.39 $5.39

-39.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$6.34 $6.34

-30.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$0.91 $0.91

70.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$3.26 $3.26

-5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$4.44 $4.44

-43.02%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$4.26 $4.26

-19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$4.39 $4.39

66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$9.71 $9.71

5.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$13.38 $13.38

5.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$4.31 $4.31

-46.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.61 $1.61

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.36 $4.36

9.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$4.28 $4.28

-61.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$3.21 $3.21

19.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$3.33 $3.33

12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.42 $2.42

-54.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$1.96 $1.96

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$7.97 $7.97

-35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$12.74 $12.74

56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.94 $1.94

44.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$3.83 $3.83

-8.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$3.08 $3.08

-60.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$2.43 $2.43

-10.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.20 $1.20

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$60.8 $60.8

-85.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$0.86 $0.86

80.23%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$35.7K $35.7K

-3.17%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$25.4K $25.4K

52.46%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$204 $204

-53.62%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$65.7 $65.7

-44.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$69.8 $69.8

-23.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$15.12 $15.12

-47.69%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$1,197 $1,197

-59.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$21.2K $21.2K

-43.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$50.3 $50.3

8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$42.76 $42.76

30.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$104 $104

-22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$126 $126

-38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$887 $887

-9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$709 $709

11.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$1,774 $1,774

125.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$1,564 $1,564

-9.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$1,537 $1,537

359.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$1,743 $1,743

-29.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$1,915 $1,915

-53.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.56

31.40%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Jefferson City, MO

$709 38.2% 10.2% $80

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Jefferson City, MO

$341 18.3% 2.5% $8.9

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Jefferson City, MO

$272 14.7% 28% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Jefferson City, MO

$340 18.3% 84.7% $156

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Jefferson City, MO

$145 7.8% 19.9% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Jefferson City, MO

$30 * 1.6% 66.2% $59

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Jefferson City, MO

$21 * 1.1% 76.6% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jefferson City, MO pays 122% 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 $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $341 per month, with Jefferson City, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Jefferson City, MO

🕒 Local time

03:56 3:56 AM

04:56 4:56 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

43,079

💱 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 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Jefferson City, MO 3,250 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Jefferson City, MO. 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 $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $1,197 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Jefferson City, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nosara is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jefferson City, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Jefferson City, MO 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 1% less than in Jefferson City, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.