Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Raleigh, NC and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,666 in Raleigh, NC, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Raleigh, NC
Learn more

Raleigh, NC Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Raleigh, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,666

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,666 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $2,666
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,913 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $3,913
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,159 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $5,159
Nosara $3,712

Raleigh, NC costs about 45% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Raleigh, NC and Nosara sit above the global median – Raleigh, NC by 99%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.68 $23.68

$12.22 ₡5,509

93.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 $98.9

$60.2 ₡27.1K

64.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$7.54 ₡3,399

44.83%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$4.31 ₡1,941

34.57%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$1.72 ₡773

67.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.35 ₡608

63.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.24 ₡1,459

87.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$4.48 ₡2,018

58.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.57 ₡707

-41.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.17 ₡1,429

21.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.42 ₡1,091

28.10%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$3.57 ₡1,609

31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$7.43 ₡3,349

105.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.42 ₡4,697

-5.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.08 $18.08

$13.66 ₡6,156

32.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$2.32 ₡1,044

181.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.61 ₡728

-22.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.74 ₡2,138

-3.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$1.66 ₡747

255.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.72 ₡1,679

-19.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.57 ₡1,611

2.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.10 ₡497

89.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.55 ₡1,149

-12.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.60 $9.60

$4.95 ₡2,232

93.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$20.01 ₡9,020

-25.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.79 ₡1,256

-20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.53 ₡1,589

-22.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.19 ₡537

16.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 $40.65

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-43.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.24 ₡1,011

33.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.55 ₡701

25.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.35 $18.35

$8.86 ₡3,993

107.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.57 ₡708

-38.22%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

66.34%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-27.85%

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

$193 $193

$93.5 ₡42.1K

106.35%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$35.11 ₡15.8K

62.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$51.5 ₡23.2K

30.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 $36.25

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-49.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.10 $5.10

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-85.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$7.84 ₡3,535

94.90%

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

$1,463 $1,463

$490 ₡220.7K

198.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

103.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 $58.9

$55.8 ₡25.1K

5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$79.3 ₡35.7K

16.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$78.9 ₡35.6K

79.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 $1,750

$786 ₡354.3K

122.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 $1,298

$780 ₡351.6K

66.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,055 $3,055

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-20.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$1,407 ₡634.4K

44.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,971 $3,971

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-43.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 $2,149

$1,201 ₡541.3K

78.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 $4,299

$876 ₡395.0K

390.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

8.62

-23.32%

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

Last update for Raleigh, NC: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Raleigh, NC

$1.3K 48.7%

Nosara

$780 43% 39.9% $518

Groceries & Markets

Raleigh, NC

$414 15.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 15.5% $64

Eating Out

Raleigh, NC

$357 13.4%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 41.3% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Raleigh, NC

$317 11.9%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 43.2% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Raleigh, NC

$156 5.9%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 22.9% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Raleigh, NC

$67 2.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 30.3% $20

Getting Around

Raleigh, NC

$59 2.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 47.5% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,750 in Raleigh, NC 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 391% higher in Raleigh, NC, 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 $99.0 in Raleigh, NC versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Raleigh, NC

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

07:26 7:26 AM

05:26 5:26 AM

2 h behind Raleigh, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

431,746

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 = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Raleigh, NC Nosara 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Raleigh, NC
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

Raleigh, NC vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,666 in Raleigh, NC, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 45% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,998 per month in Raleigh, NC 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 77% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,463 per month in Raleigh, NC 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 Raleigh, NC at $2,666. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Raleigh, NC 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 $2,666 in Raleigh, NC. 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, Raleigh, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.