Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Lexington, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,173 in Lexington, KY, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Lexington, KY
Learn more

Lexington, KY Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Lexington, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Lexington, KY

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 Lexington, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,173 in Lexington, KY.

Nosara $1,837
Lexington, KY $2,173

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $3,265 in Lexington, KY.

Nosara $2,775
Lexington, KY $3,265

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $4,356 in Lexington, KY.

Nosara $3,712
Lexington, KY $4,356

Living in Nosara costs roughly 15% less than in Lexington, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Lexington, KY 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$13.14 $13.14

-7.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$57.5 $57.5

4.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$9.14 $9.14

-17.51%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$5.13 $5.13

-15.98%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$2.53 $2.53

-32.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.06 $2.06

-34.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$4.99 $4.99

-35.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$5.97 $5.97

-24.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$0.78 $0.78

101.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$2.88 $2.88

10.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$3.98 $3.98

-39.20%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$3.68 $3.68

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$10.19 $10.19

-27.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$10.17 $10.17

2.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$14.52 $14.52

-5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$5.49 $5.49

-57.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.52 $1.52

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$5.49 $5.49

-13.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$4.41 $4.41

-62.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$4.14 $4.14

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$3.07 $3.07

16.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$2.08 $2.08

-47.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$3.18 $3.18

-19.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$8.44 $8.44

-41.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$13.02 $13.02

53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.69 $2.69

3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$4.31 $4.31

-18.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$1.02 $1.02

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$29.70 $29.70

142.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$4.92 $4.92

-54.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.00 $1.00

57.00%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$37.0K $37.0K

-41.11%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$25.2K $25.2K

37.18%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$188 $188

-50.33%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$106 $106

-66.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$74.6 $74.6

-30.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$39.07 $39.07

82.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$30.41 $30.41

16.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$15.25 $15.25

-48.59%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$2,222 $2,222

-77.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$24.9K $24.9K

-52.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$51.3 $51.3

4.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$31.32 $31.32

78.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$117 $117

-32.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$151 $151

-47.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$1,147 $1,147

-31.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$929 $929

-16.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$2,058 $2,058

87.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$1,589 $1,589

-11.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$2,118 $2,118

229.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$2,077 $2,077

-42.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$4,029 $4,029

-78.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.82

26.39%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Lexington, KY: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Lexington, KY

$929 42.3% 19.1% $149

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Lexington, KY

$386 17.5% 10.4% $36

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Lexington, KY

$249 11.3% 19% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Lexington, KY

$369 16.8% 105% $189

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Lexington, KY

$158 7.2% 31.3% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Lexington, KY

$70 3.2% 20.1% $18

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Lexington, KY

$39 * 1.8% 55.4% $48

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 $786 in Nosara and $1,147 in Lexington, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lexington, KY pays 360% 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: $60.0 in Nosara vs $57.0 in Lexington, KY. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $386, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Lexington, KY

🕒 Local time

20:43 8:43 PM

22:43 10:43 PM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

322,570

💱 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 = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Lexington, KY 3,120 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Lexington, KY

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 Lexington, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Lexington, KY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 360% lower in Lexington, KY. 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: $786 in Nosara versus $1,147 in Lexington, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $57.0 in Lexington, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,837 per month in Nosara versus $2,173 in Lexington, KY – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,173 in Lexington, KY, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Lexington, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,837 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Lexington, KY 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 18% less than in Lexington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.