Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perth Amboy, NJ and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,684 in Perth Amboy, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Perth Amboy, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,684
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Perth Amboy, NJ vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Perth Amboy, NJ $2,684
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,774 per month in Perth Amboy, NJ vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Perth Amboy, NJ $3,774
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $4,865 per month in Perth Amboy, NJ vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Perth Amboy, NJ $4,865
  • Nosara $3,814

Perth Amboy, NJ costs about 46% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Perth Amboy, NJ and Nosara sit above the global median – Perth Amboy, NJ by 98%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.32 $19.32
$12.34 ₡5,535
56.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.5 $78.5
$61.3 ₡27.5K
27.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.14 $13.14
$7.76 ₡3,481
69.33%
Cappuccino
$6.28 $6.28
$4.44 ₡1,992
41.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$1.79 ₡803
40.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.29 ₡580
17.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.90 $8.90
$3.24 ₡1,451
174.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.13 $7.13
$4.43 ₡1,985
60.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.55 ₡696
-26.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 $2.23
$3.08 ₡1,380
-27.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.16 $6.16
$2.53 ₡1,133
143.48%
Eggs
$2.93 $2.93
$3.45 ₡1,546
-15.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.68 $13.68
$7.32 ₡3,284
86.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 $10.45
$10.24 ₡4,594
2.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.90 $19.90
$14.10 ₡6,326
41.13%
Apples (1kg)
$5.96 $5.96
$2.29 ₡1,027
160.26%
Banana (1kg)
$3.51 $3.51
$1.64 ₡737
114.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$4.79 ₡2,149
-9.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$1.64 ₡735
218.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$3.85 ₡1,727
-63.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$3.75 ₡1,681
-62.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.09 ₡488
33.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.99 $2.99
$2.59 ₡1,160
15.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.80 $14.80
$5.12 ₡2,295
189.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.21 $12.21
$19.92 ₡8,931
-38.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 $1.84
$2.80 ₡1,255
-34.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 $3.62
$3.52 ₡1,580
2.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.22 ₡549
48.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.17 ₡973
40.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.56 ₡698
35.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.43 $42.43
$8.67 ₡3,886
389.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.55 ₡697
-32.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K $27.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-19.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-34.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 $170
$94.8 ₡42.5K
79.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.07 $24.07
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-33.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.71 $49.71
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-6.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.11 $41.11
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-44.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.68 $17.68
$7.91 ₡3,548
123.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,026 $2,026
$490 ₡219.9K
313.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K $16.2K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
36.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.62 $33.62
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-38.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.44 $40.44
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-27.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.1 $77.1
$80.4 ₡36.0K
-4.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.4 $96.4
$77.9 ₡34.9K
23.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,617 $1,617
$801 ₡359.1K
101.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,480 $1,480
$790 ₡354.1K
87.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,211 $2,211
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-44.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,137 $2,137
$1,409 ₡632.0K
51.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,753 $2,753
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-61.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,425 $2,425
$1,236 ₡554.3K
96.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perth Amboy, NJ
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,323 $3,323
$887 ₡397.6K
274.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.8
8.62
-21.11%

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

Last update for Perth Amboy, NJ: 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
Perth Amboy, NJ
$1.5K
Nosara
$790 46.7% $691
Groceries & Markets
Perth Amboy, NJ
$407
Nosara
$350 14.1% $57
Eating Out
Perth Amboy, NJ
$344
Nosara
$213 38.2% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perth Amboy, NJ
$244
Nosara
$184 24.6% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Perth Amboy, NJ
$111
Nosara
$121 8.6% $9.6
Sport & Entertainment
Perth Amboy, NJ
$76
Nosara
$90 17.2% $13
Getting Around
Perth Amboy, NJ
$21 *
Nosara
$89 326% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,617 in Perth Amboy, NJ 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 275% higher in Perth Amboy, NJ, 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 $78.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Perth Amboy, NJ
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
17:37 5:37 PM
15:37 3:37 PM
2 h behind Perth Amboy, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
48,607
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
  • Perth Amboy, NJ Nosara 3,580 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Perth Amboy, NJ
  • 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
Perth Amboy, NJ vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Perth Amboy, NJ and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,684 in Perth Amboy, NJ, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 46% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Perth Amboy, NJ compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,026 per month in Perth Amboy, NJ 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 Perth Amboy, NJ 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 $78.0 in Perth Amboy, NJ 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 16% more in Perth Amboy, NJ, 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 Perth Amboy, NJ at $2,684. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Perth Amboy, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Perth Amboy, NJ and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $2,684 in Perth Amboy, NJ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Perth Amboy, NJ 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 Perth Amboy, NJ and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Perth Amboy, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Perth Amboy, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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