Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Port Arthur, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,568 in Port Arthur, TX, 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Port Arthur, TX
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Port Arthur, TX Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Port Arthur, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,568

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Port Arthur, TX

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 Port Arthur, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $2,568 in Port Arthur, TX, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Port Arthur, TX $2,568

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $3,758 in Port Arthur, TX, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Port Arthur, TX $3,758

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $4,949 in Port Arthur, TX, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Port Arthur, TX $4,949

Nosara is about 28% cheaper than Port Arthur, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Port Arthur, TX sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Port Arthur, TX by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$18.64 $18.64

-33.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$73.8 $73.8

-17.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$11.12 $11.12

-32.37%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.20 $5.20

-15.19%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.51 $2.51

-30.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.95 $1.95

-32.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$5.93 $5.93

-44.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$6.89 $6.89

-35.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.99 $0.99

57.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.58 $3.58

-15.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$4.23 $4.23

-40.66%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$4.04 $4.04

-11.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$12.47 $12.47

-40.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$11.22 $11.22

-6.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$15.73 $15.73

-11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$4.76 $4.76

-50.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.59 $1.59

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$4.17 $4.17

15.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$4.75 $4.75

-66.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.77 $2.77

37.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.87 $2.87

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.03 $2.03

-44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$2.19 $2.19

21.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$9.33 $9.33

-44.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$14.26 $14.26

39.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.80 $1.80

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.33 $3.33

9.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.05 $2.05

-45.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.58 $3.58

-40.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.64 $1.64

-4.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$28.95 $28.95

-70.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.90 $0.90

68.89%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$29.8K $29.8K

-27.52%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$25.4K $25.4K

36.01%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$189 $189

-49.05%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$52.6 $52.6

-31.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$68.2 $68.2

-21.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$42.58 $42.58

68.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$13.44 $13.44

-41.29%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$1,320 $1,320

-62.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$23.1K $23.1K

-48.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$50.9 $50.9

5.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$40.65 $40.65

36.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$85.5 $85.5

-8.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$114 $114

-29.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$1,582 $1,582

-50.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$1,346 $1,346

-40.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,623 $2,623

50.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$2,242 $2,242

-36.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,777 $2,777

148.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,486 $2,486

-50.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.51

32.41%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Port Arthur, TX: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Port Arthur, TX

$1.3K 52.4% 69.5% $552

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Port Arthur, TX

$386 15% 9.5% $34

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Port Arthur, TX

$306 11.9% 44.5% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Port Arthur, TX

$310 12.1% 66.8% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Port Arthur, TX

$131 5.1% 8.9% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Port Arthur, TX

$69 2.7% 20.5% $18

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Port Arthur, TX

$20 * 0.8% 77.1% $67

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $1,582 in Port Arthur, TX. 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 $74.0 in Port Arthur, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $386 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Port Arthur, TX

🕒 Local time

07:41 7:41 AM

08:41 8:41 AM

1 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

54,135

💱 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 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Port Arthur, TX 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Port Arthur, TX

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 Port Arthur, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $2,568 in Port Arthur, TX – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $3,852 in Port Arthur, TX. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $74.0 in Port Arthur, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Port Arthur, TX, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Port Arthur, TX at $2,568. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Arthur, TX 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 $1,839 in Nosara to $2,568 in Port Arthur, TX. 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, Port Arthur, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.