Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and San Rafael, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $4,955 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $37,400 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
237

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,955

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $4,955 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
San Rafael, CA $4,955

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $6,421 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
San Rafael, CA $6,421

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $7,886 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
San Rafael, CA $7,886

Nosara is about 63% cheaper than San Rafael, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and San Rafael, CA sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, San Rafael, CA by 270%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$25.06 $25.06

-51.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$120 $120

-50.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$12.07 $12.07

-37.53%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$4.67 $4.67

-7.71%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$2.97 $2.97

-42.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.98 $2.98

-54.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$5.40 $5.40

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$6.96 $6.96

-35.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.50 $1.50

4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$4.43 $4.43

-28.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$9.69 $9.69

-75.03%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$5.52 $5.52

-35.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$22.55 $22.55

-67.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$15.37 $15.37

-32.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$18.20 $18.20

-24.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$7.34 $7.34

-68.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$2.93 $2.93

-45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$6.65 $6.65

-28.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$8.27 $8.27

-79.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$5.78 $5.78

-35.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$5.44 $5.44

-34.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$3.20 $3.20

-65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$3.87 $3.87

-34.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$10.79 $10.79

-54.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$12.81 $12.81

56.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.22 $2.22

25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$3.08 $3.08

14.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$1.99 $1.99

-40.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$64.5 $64.5

11.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$4.10 $4.10

-45.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$4.29 $4.29

-63.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$28.62 $28.62

-69.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.44 $1.44

9.03%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$32.2K $32.2K

-32.26%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$27.3K $27.3K

26.87%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$259 $259

-63.95%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$84.3 $84.3

-58.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$61.8 $61.8

-16.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$124 $124

-42.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$29.76 $29.76

19.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$12.97 $12.97

-39.55%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$2,128 $2,128

-77.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$24.6K $24.6K

-51.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$59.2 $59.2

-9.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$42.66 $42.66

30.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$94.0 $94.0

-15.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$128 $128

-38.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$3,079 $3,079

-74.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$3,143 $3,143

-75.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$4,230 $4,230

-8.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$3,789 $3,789

-62.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$7,545 $7,545

-7.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$5,372 $5,372

-77.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$7,047 $7,047

-87.56%

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 5, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

San Rafael, CA

$3.1K 64.5% 303% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

San Rafael, CA

$572 11.7% 63.6% $222

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

San Rafael, CA

$357 7.3% 70.7% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

San Rafael, CA

$405 8.3% 125% $225

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

San Rafael, CA

$146 3% 21% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

San Rafael, CA

$150 3.1% 72.3% $63

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

San Rafael, CA

$98 2% 12.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $3,079 in San Rafael, CA. 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 704% higher in San Rafael, CA, 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $120 in San Rafael, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $572 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🕒 Local time

22:46 10:46 PM

21:46 9:46 PM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

58,704

💱 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 12, 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 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara San Rafael, CA 4,820 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
San Rafael, 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 San Rafael, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $4,955 in San Rafael, CA – roughly 170% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $7,432 in San Rafael, CA. 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 12% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $2,128 in San Rafael, CA. 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 $1,837, than in San Rafael, CA at $4,955. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Rafael, CA 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 $1,837 in Nosara to $4,955 in San Rafael, CA. 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, San Rafael, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.