Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Robinson, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,349 in Robinson, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Robinson, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Robinson, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $2,349 in Robinson, IL, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Robinson, IL $2,349

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $3,361 in Robinson, IL, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Robinson, IL $3,361

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $4,373 in Robinson, IL, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Robinson, IL $4,373

Nosara is about 22% cheaper than Robinson, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nosara and Robinson, IL sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Robinson, IL by 73%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$10.89 $10.89
13.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$54.0 $54.0
13.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$9.26 $9.26
-16.20%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$5.11 $5.11
-13.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$2.19 $2.19
-18.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$1.59 $1.59
-18.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$6.17 $6.17
-47.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$6.88 $6.88
-35.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$0.71 $0.71
118.31%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$2.42 $2.42
27.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$4.97 $4.97
-49.09%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$2.92 $2.92
18.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$13.12 $13.12
-44.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$6.87 $6.87
49.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$5.93 $5.93
137.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$3.99 $3.99
-42.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.40 $1.40
17.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$3.61 $3.61
32.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$4.27 $4.27
-61.59%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$2.55 $2.55
50.98%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$2.57 $2.57
45.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$2.22 $2.22
-50.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$2.29 $2.29
13.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$9.06 $9.06
-43.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$15.52 $15.52
28.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$2.83 $2.83
-1.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$3.78 $3.78
-6.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.88 $1.88
-35.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$2.73 $2.73
-20.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$1.38 $1.38
13.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$30.30 $30.30
-71.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.00 $1.00
55.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$33.2K $33.2K
4.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$25.8K $25.8K
50.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$179 $179
-46.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$58.1 $58.1
-37.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$68.7 $68.7
-22.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$43.53 $43.53
69.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$11.14 $11.14
-28.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$399 $399
22.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$15.9K $15.9K
-25.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$49.55 $49.55
10.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$35.60 $35.60
56.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$60.7 $60.7
32.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$79.1 $79.1
-1.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$570 $570
40.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$1,303 $1,303
-39.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$2,551 $2,551
56.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$2,176 $2,176
-35.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$2,663 $2,663
165.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$2,667 $2,667
-53.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Robinson, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
$5,031 $5,031
-82.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.4
34.69%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Robinson, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Robinson, IL
$1.3K 65% $513
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Robinson, IL
$321 8.3% $29
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Robinson, IL
$236 11% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Robinson, IL
$305 65.9% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Robinson, IL
$101 16.3% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Robinson, IL
$66 26.6% $24
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Robinson, IL
$17 * 80.7% $72

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $570 in Robinson, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 467% higher in Robinson, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $54.0 in Robinson, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $321 – making Robinson, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇺🇸 Robinson, IL
🕒 Local time
23:52 11:52 PM
00:52 12:52 AM
1 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
12,443
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Robinson, IL 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Robinson, 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 Robinson, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Robinson, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,835 in Nosara, $2,349 in Robinson, IL – roughly 28% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Robinson, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $3,523 in Robinson, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Robinson, IL?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $54.0 in Robinson, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Robinson, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Robinson, IL at $2,349. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Robinson, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Robinson, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $2,349 in Robinson, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Robinson, IL safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Nosara and Robinson, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Robinson, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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