Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kearney, NE

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,083 in Kearney, NE, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in Kearney, NE
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Kearney, NE Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Kearney, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,083

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kearney, NE

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 Kearney, NE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,083 in Kearney, NE.

Nosara $1,835
Kearney, NE $2,083

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $2,931 in Kearney, NE.

Nosara $2,825
Kearney, NE $2,931

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $3,780 in Kearney, NE.

Nosara $3,814
Kearney, NE $3,780

Living in Nosara costs roughly 12% less than in Kearney, NE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 35% above, Kearney, NE 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$15.29 $15.29

-19.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$61.0 $61.0

0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$11.87 $11.87

-34.63%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.12 $5.12

-13.28%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$2.11 $2.11

-15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$1.85 $1.85

-30.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$4.05 $4.05

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$5.10 $5.10

-13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$0.87 $0.87

78.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$1.69 $1.69

82.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$3.68 $3.68

-31.25%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$3.69 $3.69

-6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$8.79 $8.79

-16.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$6.52 $6.52

57.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$15.41 $15.41

-8.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$5.43 $5.43

-57.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$2.13 $2.13

-23.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.72 $4.72

1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$4.29 $4.29

-61.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$1.89 $1.89

103.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$2.99 $2.99

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.01 $2.01

-45.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$2.93 $2.93

-11.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$9.02 $9.02

-43.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$15.12 $15.12

31.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.82 $1.82

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$1.98 $1.98

77.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$2.99 $2.99

-27.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.34 $1.34

16.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$24.73 $24.73

-64.94%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

42.26%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$27.1K $27.1K

42.88%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$273 $273

-65.28%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$62.3 $62.3

-41.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$73.5 $73.5

-27.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$56.1 $56.1

31.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$5.94 $5.94

499.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$12.42 $12.42

-36.31%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$992 $992

-50.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$19.2K $19.2K

-38.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$29.42 $29.42

86.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$39.22 $39.22

42.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$95.6 $95.6

-15.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$122 $122

-36.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$1,018 $1,018

-21.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$850 $850

-7.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$1,497 $1,497

167.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$1,224 $1,224

15.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$1,619 $1,619

336.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$1,585 $1,585

-22.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$7,554 $7,554

-88.26%

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 Kearney, NE: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Kearney, NE

$850 40.8% 7.7% $61

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Kearney, NE

$339 16.3% 3.1% $11

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Kearney, NE

$266 12.8% 24.9% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Kearney, NE

$409 19.6% 122% $225

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Kearney, NE

$129 6.2% 6.5% $7.9

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Kearney, NE

$81 3.9% 9.7% $8.7

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Kearney, NE

$9.7 * 0.5% 89.1% $79

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 $801 in Nosara and $1,018 in Kearney, NE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kearney, NE pays 752% 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 $61.0 in Kearney, NE. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $339, with Kearney, NE cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Kearney, NE

🕒 Local time

10:16 10:16 AM

11:16 11:16 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

29,385

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Kearney, NE 3,660 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kearney, NE

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 Kearney, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Kearney, NE differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,835 vs $2,083 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 752% lower in Kearney, NE. 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: $801 in Nosara versus $1,018 in Kearney, NE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kearney, NE pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,835 per month in Nosara versus $2,083 in Kearney, NE – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,083 in Kearney, NE, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Kearney, NE. 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 Kearney, NE 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 14% less than in Kearney, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.