Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Los Angeles, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, rent and utilities included – about $29,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
203

Cost of Living Index in Los Angeles, CA
Learn more

Los Angeles, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,259

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA.

Nosara $1,837
Los Angeles, CA $4,259

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $6,260 in Los Angeles, CA.

Nosara $2,775
Los Angeles, CA $6,260

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $8,260 in Los Angeles, CA.

Nosara $3,712
Los Angeles, CA $8,260

Living in Nosara costs roughly 57% less than in Los Angeles, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Los Angeles, CA 218% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$27.00 $27.00

-54.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$122 $122

-50.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$14.98 $14.98

-49.67%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$5.84 $5.84

-26.20%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$3.77 $3.77

-54.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.67 $2.67

-49.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$8.05 $8.05

-59.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$9.84 $9.84

-54.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.30 $1.30

20.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$4.84 $4.84

-34.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$4.48 $4.48

-45.98%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$6.14 $6.14

-41.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$11.32 $11.32

-34.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$15.78 $15.78

-33.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$19.94 $19.94

-31.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$5.24 $5.24

-55.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$2.33 $2.33

-30.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$4.69 $4.69

1.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$5.65 $5.65

-70.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$3.28 $3.28

13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.88 $2.88

23.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$2.10 $2.10

-47.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$2.44 $2.44

4.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$12.78 $12.78

-61.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$15.05 $15.05

32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.96 $2.96

-5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$2.81 $2.81

25.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$1.79 $1.79

-33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$104 $104

-30.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$3.08 $3.08

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$1.88 $1.88

-17.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$31.58 $31.58

-71.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.62 $1.62

-3.09%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$37.7K $37.7K

-42.12%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$26.3K $26.3K

31.53%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$288 $288

-67.54%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$77.9 $77.9

-54.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$80.5 $80.5

-36.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$74.2 $74.2

-3.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$11.90 $11.90

197.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$19.79 $19.79

-60.38%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$1,678 $1,678

-70.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$31.9K $31.9K

-62.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$91.3 $91.3

-41.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$65.7 $65.7

-15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$121 $121

-34.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$206 $206

-61.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$2,545 $2,545

-69.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$2,443 $2,443

-68.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$5,518 $5,518

-30.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$4,275 $4,275

-67.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$7,211 $7,211

-3.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$6,930 $6,930

-82.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$4,173 $4,173

-79.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.86

25.66%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Los Angeles, CA

$2.4K 57.8% 213% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Los Angeles, CA

$467 11.1% 33.7% $118

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Los Angeles, CA

$417 9.9% 99% $207

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Los Angeles, CA

$446 10.6% 148% $266

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Los Angeles, CA

$218 5.2% 81% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Los Angeles, CA

$114 2.7% 30.7% $27

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Los Angeles, CA

$124 2.9% 42.3% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Nosara and $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 376% 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 $122 in Los Angeles, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $467 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Los Angeles, CA

🕒 Local time

06:14 6:14 AM

05:14 5:14 AM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

4,030,904

💱 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 = 505 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 Los Angeles, CA 4,260 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 376% lower in Los Angeles, 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: $786 in Nosara versus $2,545 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 44% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $1,678 in Los Angeles, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $4,259 in Los Angeles, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, CA. 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 Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Los Angeles, 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 132% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.