Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Oak Lawn, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Oak Lawn, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Oak Lawn, IL
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Oak Lawn, IL Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Oak Lawn, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Oak Lawn, IL

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 Oak Lawn, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Oak Lawn, IL $2,586

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $3,492 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Oak Lawn, IL $3,492

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $4,398 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Oak Lawn, IL $4,398

Nosara is about 29% cheaper than Oak Lawn, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Oak Lawn, IL sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Oak Lawn, IL by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$15.26 $15.26

-19.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$62.8 $62.8

-2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$7.77 $7.77

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$5.43 $5.43

-18.23%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$2.16 $2.16

-17.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$1.13 $1.13

14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$5.14 $5.14

-36.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$5.15 $5.15

-13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$0.93 $0.93

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$2.37 $2.37

29.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$3.41 $3.41

-25.81%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$3.76 $3.76

-8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$11.16 $11.16

-34.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$8.61 $8.61

18.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$13.18 $13.18

6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$3.25 $3.25

-29.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.95 $1.95

-15.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$3.26 $3.26

46.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$3.29 $3.29

-50.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$2.15 $2.15

79.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$1.11 $1.11

237.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$2.06 $2.06

-47.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$2.04 $2.04

26.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$9.87 $9.87

-48.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$9.96 $9.96

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$2.06 $2.06

35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$3.32 $3.32

6.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$2.05 $2.05

-40.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$49.95 $49.95

47.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$5.38 $5.38

-59.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$2.82 $2.82

-44.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$17.46 $17.46

-50.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.12 $1.12

38.39%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$15.9K $15.9K

117.49%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$27.0K $27.0K

43.27%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$220 $220

-56.89%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$53.0 $53.0

-31.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$66.1 $66.1

-19.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$42.21 $42.21

74.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$20.35 $20.35

-61.13%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$1,336 $1,336

-63.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$12.6K $12.6K

-5.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$47.58 $47.58

15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$25.39 $25.39

120.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$58.0 $58.0

38.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$50.8 $50.8

53.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$1,601 $1,601

-49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$1,432 $1,432

-44.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$2,851 $2,851

40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$1,945 $1,945

-27.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$2,575 $2,575

174.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$2,733 $2,733

-54.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

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 20, 2026

Last update for Oak Lawn, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Oak Lawn, IL

$1.4K 55.4% 81.3% $642

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Oak Lawn, IL

$313 12.1% 10.4% $36

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Oak Lawn, IL

$260 10% 22.1% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Oak Lawn, IL

$339 13.1% 84.3% $155

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Oak Lawn, IL

$82 3.2% 32.4% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Oak Lawn, IL

$83 3.2% 7.5% $6.7

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Oak Lawn, IL

$78 3% 12.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $1,601 in Oak Lawn, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $63.0 in Oak Lawn, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $313 in Oak Lawn, IL – so Oak Lawn, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Oak Lawn, IL

🕒 Local time

17:47 5:47 PM

18:47 6:47 PM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

58,362

💱 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 Oak Lawn, IL 3,530 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Oak Lawn, IL

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 Oak Lawn, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,835 in Nosara, $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL – roughly 41% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $3,879 in Oak Lawn, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $1,336 in Oak Lawn, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Oak Lawn, IL at $2,586. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oak Lawn, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oak Lawn, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.