Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Odessa, TX and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,550 in Odessa, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Odessa, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,550
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,550 per month in Odessa, TX vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Odessa, TX $2,550
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,917 per month in Odessa, TX vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Odessa, TX $3,917
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $5,284 per month in Odessa, TX vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Odessa, TX $5,284
  • Nosara $3,814

Odessa, TX costs about 39% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Odessa, TX and Nosara sit above the global median – Odessa, TX by 88%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$39.54 $39.54
$12.34 ₡5,535
220.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.0 $73.0
$61.3 ₡27.5K
18.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 $11.72
$7.76 ₡3,481
51.03%
Cappuccino
$5.99 $5.99
$4.44 ₡1,992
34.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 $2.73
$1.79 ₡803
52.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.29 ₡580
117.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.97 $4.97
$3.24 ₡1,451
53.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 $5.91
$4.43 ₡1,985
33.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.55 ₡696
-38.71%
White Bread (500g)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.08 ₡1,380
12.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.55 $4.55
$2.53 ₡1,133
79.84%
Eggs
$3.08 $3.08
$3.45 ₡1,546
-10.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.67 $7.67
$7.32 ₡3,284
4.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.90 $16.90
$10.24 ₡4,594
65.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.19 $17.19
$14.10 ₡6,326
21.91%
Apples (1kg)
$5.05 $5.05
$2.29 ₡1,027
120.52%
Banana (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$1.64 ₡737
101.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.43 $5.43
$4.79 ₡2,149
13.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.04 $5.04
$1.64 ₡735
207.32%
Potato (1kg)
$3.61 $3.61
$3.85 ₡1,727
-6.23%
Onion (1kg)
$3.19 $3.19
$3.75 ₡1,681
-14.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.59 $2.59
$1.09 ₡488
137.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$4.60 $4.60
$2.59 ₡1,160
77.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.86 $9.86
$5.12 ₡2,295
92.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.85 $17.85
$19.92 ₡8,931
-10.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.80 ₡1,255
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 $2.97
$3.52 ₡1,580
-15.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.22 ₡549
59.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.6 $80.6
$73.9 ₡33.1K
9.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 $2.75
$2.17 ₡973
26.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.56 ₡698
12.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.77 $27.77
$8.67 ₡3,886
220.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.55 ₡697
-42.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K $28.4K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-17.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K $22.2K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-42.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$197 $197
$94.8 ₡42.5K
107.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.7 $58.7
$36.15 ₡16.2K
62.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.7 $70.7
$53.1 ₡23.8K
33.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.29 $42.29
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-42.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.07 $14.07
$7.91 ₡3,548
77.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,510 $1,510
$490 ₡219.9K
208.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K $20.9K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
76.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.0 $64.0
$54.8 ₡24.6K
16.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.00 $42.00
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-24.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.2 $89.2
$80.4 ₡36.0K
10.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 $116
$77.9 ₡34.9K
49.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,491 $1,491
$801 ₡359.1K
86.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$967 $967
$790 ₡354.1K
22.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,219 $2,219
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-44.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,822 $1,822
$1,409 ₡632.0K
29.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,699 $1,699
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-75.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,707 $1,707
$1,236 ₡554.3K
38.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Odessa, TX
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,325 $4,325
$887 ₡397.6K
387.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.05
8.62
-18.21%

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

Last update for Odessa, TX: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Odessa, TX
$967
Nosara
$790 18.3% $177
Eating Out
Odessa, TX
$482
Nosara
$213 55.9% $270
Groceries & Markets
Odessa, TX
$464
Nosara
$350 24.7% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Odessa, TX
$327
Nosara
$184 43.6% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Odessa, TX
$140
Nosara
$121 13.7% $19
Getting Around
Odessa, TX
$100
Nosara
$89 11.2% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Odessa, TX
$70
Nosara
$90 27.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,491 in Odessa, TX 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.

Salaries run about 388% higher in Odessa, TX, 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 $73.0 in Odessa, TX versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $464 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Odessa, TX
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
14:22 2:22 PM
13:22 1:22 PM
1 h behind Odessa, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
114,428
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Odessa, TX Nosara 2,980 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Odessa, TX
  • 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
Odessa, TX vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Odessa, TX and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,550 in Odessa, TX, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 39% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Odessa, TX compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,825 per month in Odessa, TX 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 Odessa, TX 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.
How do commuting costs compare in Odessa, TX and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 9% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Odessa, TX and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $1,510 per month in Odessa, TX and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
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 Odessa, TX at $2,550. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Odessa, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Odessa, TX and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $2,550 in Odessa, TX. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Odessa, TX 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 Odessa, TX and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Odessa, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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