Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Lodi, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,557 in Lodi, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Lodi, CA
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Lodi, CA Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Lodi, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,557

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Lodi, CA

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 Lodi, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,557 in Lodi, CA.

Nosara $1,835
Lodi, CA $2,557

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $3,759 in Lodi, CA.

Nosara $2,825
Lodi, CA $3,759

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $4,962 in Lodi, CA.

Nosara $3,814
Lodi, CA $4,962

Living in Nosara costs roughly 28% less than in Lodi, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 35% above, Lodi, CA 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$19.81 $19.81

-37.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$73.7 $73.7

-16.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$11.45 $11.45

-32.23%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.34 $5.34

-16.85%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$2.73 $2.73

-34.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$1.96 $1.96

-34.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$6.06 $6.06

-46.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$7.11 $7.11

-37.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.01 $1.01

53.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$3.43 $3.43

-10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$4.33 $4.33

-41.57%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$4.21 $4.21

-18.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$12.34 $12.34

-40.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$11.31 $11.31

-9.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$17.34 $17.34

-18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$4.98 $4.98

-54.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.63 $1.63

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$4.34 $4.34

10.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$4.76 $4.76

-65.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$2.86 $2.86

34.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$3.05 $3.05

22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.12 $2.12

-48.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$2.23 $2.23

16.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$9.19 $9.19

-44.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$14.71 $14.71

35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$2.00 $2.00

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$3.35 $3.35

5.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$2.20 $2.20

-44.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$2.92 $2.92

-25.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.49 $1.49

4.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$33.90 $33.90

-74.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.49 $1.49

4.03%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$28.0K $28.0K

23.33%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$26.4K $26.4K

46.85%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$198 $198

-52.00%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$59.0 $59.0

-38.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$70.3 $70.3

-24.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$42.36 $42.36

74.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$12.69 $12.69

-37.67%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$1,264 $1,264

-61.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$26.6K $26.6K

-55.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$52.6 $52.6

4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$41.02 $41.02

36.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$87.6 $87.6

-8.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$105 $105

-25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$1,567 $1,567

-48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$1,298 $1,298

-39.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$2,550 $2,550

57.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$2,187 $2,187

-35.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$2,770 $2,770

155.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$2,369 $2,369

-47.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$4,452 $4,452

-80.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.62

30.21%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Lodi, CA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Lodi, CA

$1.3K 50.8% 64.4% $508

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Lodi, CA

$396 15.5% 13.3% $46

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Lodi, CA

$320 12.5% 50.6% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Lodi, CA

$327 12.8% 77.6% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Lodi, CA

$129 5% 6.4% $7.7

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Lodi, CA

$68 2.7% 24.4% $22

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Lodi, CA

$19 * 0.8% 78.4% $70

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 $1,567 in Lodi, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lodi, CA pays 402% 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 $74.0 in Lodi, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $396 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Lodi, CA

🕒 Local time

15:19 3:19 PM

14:19 2:19 PM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

66,348

💱 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 Lodi, CA 4,730 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Lodi, CA

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 Lodi, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Lodi, CA. 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 402% lower in Lodi, CA. 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 $1,567 in Lodi, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $1,264 in Lodi, CA. 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 $74.0 in Lodi, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,557 in Lodi, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Lodi, CA. 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 $1,835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Lodi, CA 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 39% less than in Lodi, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.