Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Urbana, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Nosara and in Urbana, IL: $1,835 and $1,871 a month, rent and utilities included.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Urbana, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,871
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $1,871 in Urbana, IL, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Urbana, IL $1,871

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $2,123 in Urbana, IL, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Urbana, IL $2,123

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $2,374 in Urbana, IL, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Urbana, IL $2,374

Nosara is about 2% cheaper than Urbana, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nosara and Urbana, IL sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Urbana, IL by 38%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$14.83 $14.83
-16.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$59.0 $59.0
3.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$9.95 $9.95
-22.01%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$4.71 $4.71
-5.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$2.25 $2.25
-20.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$1.77 $1.77
-27.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$5.46 $5.46
-40.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$5.65 $5.65
-21.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$0.78 $0.78
98.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$3.03 $3.03
1.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$3.01 $3.01
-15.95%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$3.82 $3.82
-9.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$12.23 $12.23
-40.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$8.95 $8.95
14.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$14.14 $14.14
-0.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$4.02 $4.02
-43.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.63 $1.63
0.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$3.18 $3.18
50.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$4.54 $4.54
-63.88%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$2.23 $2.23
72.65%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$2.65 $2.65
41.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$2.30 $2.30
-52.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$1.37 $1.37
89.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$12.21 $12.21
-58.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$15.22 $15.22
30.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$2.08 $2.08
34.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$3.51 $3.51
0.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$0.99 $0.99
23.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$3.03 $3.03
-28.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$0.59 $0.59
164.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$25.08 $25.08
-65.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.16 $1.16
33.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$27.7K $27.7K
24.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$26.3K $26.3K
47.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$242 $242
-60.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$44.28 $44.28
-18.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$60.7 $60.7
-12.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$13.14 $13.14
-39.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$1,003 $1,003
-51.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$20.4K $20.4K
-41.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$48.69 $48.69
12.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$50.8 $50.8
10.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$97.7 $97.7
-17.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$121 $121
-35.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$866 $866
-7.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$746 $746
5.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$1,774 $1,774
298.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$1,732 $1,732
-28.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Urbana, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
$6,774 $6,774
-86.91%
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 Urbana, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Urbana, IL
$746 5.6% $44
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Urbana, IL
$340 2.8% $9.7
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Urbana, IL
$260 22.1% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Urbana, IL
$347 88.3% $163
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Urbana, IL
$143 18.1% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Urbana, IL
$26 * 70.7% $63
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Urbana, IL
$10 * 88.8% $79

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 $866 in Urbana, 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 664% higher in Urbana, 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 $59.0 in Urbana, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $340 – making Urbana, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇺🇸 Urbana, IL
🕒 Local time
13:35 1:35 PM
14:35 2:35 PM
1 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
41,250
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Urbana, IL 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Urbana, 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 Urbana, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Urbana, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,835 in Nosara, $1,871 in Urbana, IL – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Urbana, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $2,807 in Urbana, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Urbana, 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 $59.0 in Urbana, 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 3% cheaper in Urbana, 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 Urbana, IL at $1,871. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Urbana, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Urbana, IL?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $1,871 in Urbana, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Urbana, 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 Urbana, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Urbana, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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