Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Owensboro, KY and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $1,990 in Owensboro, KY, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Owensboro, KY
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Owensboro, KY Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Owensboro, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,990

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,990 per month in Owensboro, KY vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Owensboro, KY $1,990
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,922 per month in Owensboro, KY vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Owensboro, KY $2,922
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,855 per month in Owensboro, KY vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Owensboro, KY $3,855
Nosara $3,818

Owensboro, KY costs about 8% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Owensboro, KY and Nosara sit above the global median – Owensboro, KY by 47%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$12.35 ₡5,539

59.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$7.52 ₡3,373

35.51%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$4.41 ₡1,978

22.22%

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

$1.93 $1.93

$1.74 ₡780

10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.31 ₡587

0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.28 ₡1,471

24.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.47 ₡2,004

10.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.56 ₡701

-48.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.02 ₡1,355

5.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.51 ₡1,125

78.88%

Eggs

$2.93 $2.93

$3.57 ₡1,603

-17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$7.43 ₡3,333

-10.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$10.52 ₡4,717

5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 $12.01

$13.97 ₡6,265

-14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.35 ₡1,052

88.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.61 ₡720

-23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$4.80 ₡2,152

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.61 ₡724

124.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.80 ₡1,703

-41.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.69 ₡1,657

-39.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.13 ₡507

75.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.66 ₡1,191

-45.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$5.18 ₡2,321

71.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$19.88 ₡8,916

-60.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.90 ₡1,300

-34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.63 ₡1,626

39.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.12 ₡504

-8.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.41 $29.41

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-59.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 $5.59

$2.14 ₡958

161.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.57 ₡703

-34.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.81 $17.81

$8.52 ₡3,823

109.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.52 ₡682

-44.08%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

73.11%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-21.89%

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

$168 $168

$96.3 ₡43.2K

74.04%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$35.89 ₡16.1K

69.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 $59.9

$53.6 ₡24.0K

11.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 $50.5

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-29.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.98 $9.98

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-71.41%

Cinema Ticket

$13.34 $13.34

$7.89 ₡3,539

69.07%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$53.9 ₡24.2K

39.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.44 $42.44

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-23.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.2 $68.2

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-12.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 $91.5

$79.6 ₡35.7K

14.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 $857

$788 ₡353.4K

8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$848 $848

$794 ₡356.2K

6.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-64.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-4.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,690 $1,690

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-75.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,654 $1,654

$1,224 ₡549.0K

35.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,316 $3,316

$864 ₡387.3K

284.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

8.62

-24.01%

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

Last update for Owensboro, KY: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Owensboro, KY

$848 42.6%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 6.3% $53

Groceries & Markets

Owensboro, KY

$312 15.7%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 13% $40

Eating Out

Owensboro, KY

$296 14.9%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 28.4% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Owensboro, KY

$288 14.5%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 35.6% $103

Clothing & Footwear

Owensboro, KY

$125 6.3%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 3.8% $4.7

Sport & Entertainment

Owensboro, KY

$77 3.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 13.3% $10

Getting Around

Owensboro, KY

$44 2.2%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 97% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $857 in Owensboro, KY versus $788 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 284% higher in Owensboro, KY, 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 Owensboro, KY versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $352 – making Owensboro, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Owensboro, KY

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

20:31 8:31 PM

19:31 7:31 PM

1 h behind Owensboro, KY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

55,525

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Owensboro, KY Nosara 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Owensboro, KY
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

Owensboro, KY vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,990 in Owensboro, KY, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,985 per month in Owensboro, KY and $2,758 in Nosara. 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 147% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Owensboro, KY – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Owensboro, KY at $1,990. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Owensboro, KY 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 $1,839 in Nosara to $1,990 in Owensboro, KY. 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, Owensboro, KY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.