Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Springs, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,874 in Palm Springs, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in Palm Springs, CA
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Palm Springs, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Palm Springs, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,874

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,874 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $2,874
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $4,597 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $4,597
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $6,321 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $6,321
Nosara $3,712

Palm Springs, CA costs about 56% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Palm Springs, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – Palm Springs, CA by 114%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.47 $30.47

$12.22 ₡5,509

149.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$60.2 ₡27.1K

26.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 $9.87

$7.54 ₡3,399

30.90%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$4.31 ₡1,941

27.84%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$1.72 ₡773

67.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.35 ₡608

14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 $4.85

$3.24 ₡1,459

49.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 $5.70

$4.48 ₡2,018

27.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.57 ₡707

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.17 ₡1,429

23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.42 ₡1,091

19.83%

Eggs

$5.78 $5.78

$3.57 ₡1,609

61.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$7.43 ₡3,349

90.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.76 $13.76

$10.42 ₡4,697

32.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$13.66 ₡6,156

-8.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.32 ₡1,044

118.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.61 ₡728

34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.74 ₡2,138

-7.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.66 ₡747

198.80%

Potato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$3.72 ₡1,679

23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.57 ₡1,611

22.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.10 ₡497

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.55 ₡1,149

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$4.95 ₡2,232

138.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 $13.70

$20.01 ₡9,020

-31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.79 ₡1,256

-42.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.53 ₡1,589

-24.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.19 ₡537

44.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.67 $34.67

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-51.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.24 ₡1,011

52.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.55 ₡701

23.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$8.86 ₡3,993

166.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.57 ₡708

-12.74%

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

$33.7K $33.7K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

54.66%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-25.28%

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

$244 $244

$93.5 ₡42.1K

161.02%

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

$82.3 $82.3

$35.11 ₡15.8K

134.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 $64.9

$51.5 ₡23.2K

26.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.30 $32.30

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-54.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.52 $49.52

$35.44 ₡16.0K

39.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$7.84 ₡3,535

53.83%

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

$536 $536

$490 ₡220.7K

9.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,541 $8,541

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-28.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.77 $31.77

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-40.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 $34.63

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-37.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 $73.3

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$78.9 ₡35.6K

77.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 $1,831

$786 ₡354.3K

132.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 $1,519

$780 ₡351.6K

94.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,700 $3,700

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-4.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,215 $3,215

$1,407 ₡634.4K

128.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,072 $5,072

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-27.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,350 $3,350

$1,201 ₡541.3K

179.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,790 $4,790

$876 ₡395.0K

446.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

8.62

-22.51%

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

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Palm Springs, CA

$1.5K 51.4%

Nosara

$780 43% 48.7% $740

Groceries & Markets

Palm Springs, CA

$416 14.1%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 15.9% $66

Eating Out

Palm Springs, CA

$393 13.3%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 46.7% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palm Springs, CA

$391 13.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 54% $211

Clothing & Footwear

Palm Springs, CA

$126 4.3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 4.4% $5.5

Sport & Entertainment

Palm Springs, CA

$56 1.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 54.3% $31

Getting Around

Palm Springs, CA

$54 1.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 59.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,831 in Palm Springs, CA versus $786 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 447% higher in Palm Springs, CA, 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 $76.0 in Palm Springs, CA versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Palm Springs, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

00:47 12:47 AM

01:47 1:47 AM

1 h ahead of Palm Springs, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,575

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Palm Springs, CA Nosara 4,110 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Palm Springs, CA
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

Palm Springs, CA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,874 in Palm Springs, CA, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 56% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,311 per month in Palm Springs, CA and $2,756 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 108% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $536 per month in Palm Springs, CA and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Palm Springs, CA at $2,874. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palm Springs, CA 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 $1,837 in Nosara to $2,874 in Palm Springs, CA. 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, Palm Springs, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.