Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between O'Fallon, IL and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,591 in O'Fallon, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

O'Fallon, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,591
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in O'Fallon, IL and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in O'Fallon, IL and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,591 per month in O'Fallon, IL vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • O'Fallon, IL $2,591
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,785 per month in O'Fallon, IL vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • O'Fallon, IL $3,785
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $4,980 per month in O'Fallon, IL vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • O'Fallon, IL $4,980
  • Nosara $3,814

O'Fallon, IL costs about 41% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both O'Fallon, IL and Nosara sit above the global median – O'Fallon, IL by 91%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.28 $18.28
$12.34 ₡5,535
48.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.4 $74.4
$61.3 ₡27.5K
21.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.70 $10.70
$7.76 ₡3,481
37.89%
Cappuccino
$5.27 $5.27
$4.44 ₡1,992
18.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.79 ₡803
31.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.29 ₡580
28.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.79 $3.79
$3.24 ₡1,451
16.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.19 $5.19
$4.43 ₡1,985
17.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.55 ₡696
-35.48%
White Bread (500g)
$3.22 $3.22
$3.08 ₡1,380
4.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.61 $5.61
$2.53 ₡1,133
121.74%
Eggs
$3.93 $3.93
$3.45 ₡1,546
13.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.06 $12.06
$7.32 ₡3,284
64.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.66 $15.66
$10.24 ₡4,594
52.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$14.10 ₡6,326
15.04%
Apples (1kg)
$8.24 $8.24
$2.29 ₡1,027
259.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.64 ₡737
45.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$4.79 ₡2,149
14.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.13 $5.13
$1.64 ₡735
212.80%
Potato (1kg)
$4.24 $4.24
$3.85 ₡1,727
10.13%
Onion (1kg)
$3.36 $3.36
$3.75 ₡1,681
-10.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.09 ₡488
84.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$2.59 ₡1,160
-1.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.09 $8.09
$5.12 ₡2,295
58.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.94 $14.94
$19.92 ₡8,931
-25.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 $2.91
$2.80 ₡1,255
3.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 $3.34
$3.52 ₡1,580
-5.11%
🚌 Getting Around
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.22 ₡549
75.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.58 $3.58
$2.17 ₡973
64.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.56 ₡698
1.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.65 $17.65
$8.67 ₡3,886
103.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.55 ₡697
-28.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K $27.8K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-19.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-32.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$242 $242
$94.8 ₡42.5K
155.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.6 $68.6
$36.15 ₡16.2K
89.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.9 $75.9
$53.1 ₡23.8K
43.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.68 $41.68
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-43.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.60 $12.60
$7.91 ₡3,548
59.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$663 $663
$490 ₡219.9K
35.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K $12.6K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
5.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.51 $46.51
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-15.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.04 $25.04
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-55.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.5 $57.5
$80.4 ₡36.0K
-28.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.29 $49.29
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-36.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,602 $1,602
$801 ₡359.1K
100.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,295 $1,295
$790 ₡354.1K
63.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,473 $2,473
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-38.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,167 $2,167
$1,409 ₡632.0K
53.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,348 $2,348
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-66.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,575 $2,575
$1,236 ₡554.3K
108.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
O'Fallon, IL
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.72
8.62
-22.04%

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

Last update for O'Fallon, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
O'Fallon, IL
$1.3K
Nosara
$790 39% $505
Groceries & Markets
O'Fallon, IL
$456
Nosara
$350 23.3% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
O'Fallon, IL
$387
Nosara
$184 52.4% $203
Eating Out
O'Fallon, IL
$287
Nosara
$213 25.9% $74
Clothing & Footwear
O'Fallon, IL
$80
Nosara
$121 50.8% $41
Sport & Entertainment
O'Fallon, IL
$67
Nosara
$90 34% $23
Getting Around
O'Fallon, IL
$20 *
Nosara
$89 342% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,602 in O'Fallon, IL versus $801 in Nosara. 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 $74.0 in O'Fallon, IL versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $456 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 O'Fallon, IL
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
19:05 7:05 PM
18:05 6:05 PM
1 h behind O'Fallon, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
94,074
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • O'Fallon, IL Nosara 3,210 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • O'Fallon, IL
  • Nosara

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
O'Fallon, IL vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in O'Fallon, IL and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,591 in O'Fallon, IL, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 41% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in O'Fallon, IL compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,886 per month in O'Fallon, IL and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between O'Fallon, IL and Nosara?
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 $74.0 in O'Fallon, IL and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 30% more in O'Fallon, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
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 O'Fallon, IL at $2,591. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in O'Fallon, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between O'Fallon, IL and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $2,591 in O'Fallon, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is O'Fallon, IL or Nosara 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 O'Fallon, IL and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, O'Fallon, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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