Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Surprise, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Surprise, AZ: $1,305 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Surprise, AZ
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Surprise, AZ Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Surprise, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$1,305

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Surprise, AZ

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 Surprise, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,305 in Surprise, AZ, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Surprise, AZ $1,305

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $3,606 in Surprise, AZ, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Surprise, AZ $3,606

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $5,906 in Surprise, AZ, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Surprise, AZ $5,906

Nosara costs about 41% more than Surprise, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Surprise, AZ is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$20.25 $20.25

-39.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$84.2 $84.2

-28.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$12.84 $12.84

-41.28%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$6.01 $6.01

-28.29%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$2.65 $2.65

-35.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.46 $2.46

-45.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$7.20 $7.20

-55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$8.13 $8.13

-44.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.00 $1.00

57.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$3.52 $3.52

-9.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$5.19 $5.19

-53.37%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$4.73 $4.73

-24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$13.40 $13.40

-44.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$11.30 $11.30

-7.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$14.80 $14.80

-7.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$4.61 $4.61

-49.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.94 $1.94

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$3.88 $3.88

22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$4.21 $4.21

-60.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$2.55 $2.55

45.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.88 $2.88

23.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$2.13 $2.13

-48.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$2.17 $2.17

17.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$10.66 $10.66

-53.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$13.77 $13.77

45.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$2.51 $2.51

11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$3.19 $3.19

10.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$2.80 $2.80

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$1.40 $1.40

10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$35.29 $35.29

-74.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.13 $1.13

38.94%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$36.7K $36.7K

-40.64%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$25.3K $25.3K

36.90%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$197 $197

-52.56%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$62.6 $62.6

-43.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$73.8 $73.8

-30.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$60.8 $60.8

17.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$13.16 $13.16

-40.43%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$1,090 $1,090

-55.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$15.6K $15.6K

-23.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$56.0 $56.0

-4.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$44.17 $44.17

26.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$99.9 $99.9

-20.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$115 $115

-31.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$2,116 $2,116

82.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$3,030 $3,030

-53.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$1,591 $1,591

-24.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$4,222 $4,222

-79.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.44

33.85%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Surprise, AZ: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Surprise, AZ

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Surprise, AZ

$392 29.9% 12.1% $42

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Surprise, AZ

$345 26.4% 64.9% $136

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Surprise, AZ

$333 25.5% 85.1% $153

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Surprise, AZ

$142 10.8% 18% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Surprise, AZ

$87 6.7% 0% $0

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Surprise, AZ

$9.8 * 0.8% 88.7% $77

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 382% higher in Surprise, AZ, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $84.0 in Surprise, AZ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $392 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Surprise, AZ

🕒 Local time

06:48 6:48 AM

05:48 5:48 AM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

143,148

💱 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 Surprise, AZ 3,790 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Surprise, AZ

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 Surprise, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $1,305 in Surprise, AZ – roughly 41% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,958 in Surprise, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $84.0 in Surprise, AZ. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surprise, AZ, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Surprise, AZ it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara 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 $1,305 in Surprise, AZ to $1,837 in Nosara. 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 Surprise, AZ. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.