Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Louis, MO and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,440 in Saint Louis, MO, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Saint Louis, MO
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Saint Louis, MO Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Saint Louis, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,440

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,440 per month in Saint Louis, MO vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Saint Louis, MO $2,440
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,667 per month in Saint Louis, MO vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Saint Louis, MO $3,667
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $4,895 per month in Saint Louis, MO vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Saint Louis, MO $4,895
Nosara $3,712

Saint Louis, MO costs about 33% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saint Louis, MO and Nosara sit above the global median – Saint Louis, MO by 82%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 $18.17

$12.22 ₡5,509

48.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 $77.8

$60.2 ₡27.1K

29.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 $11.76

$7.54 ₡3,399

55.97%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$4.31 ₡1,941

20.65%

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

$2.41 $2.41

$1.72 ₡773

40.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.35 ₡608

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 $5.71

$3.24 ₡1,459

76.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$4.48 ₡2,018

59.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.57 ₡707

-20.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.17 ₡1,429

23.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.42 ₡1,091

145.04%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$3.57 ₡1,609

12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.96 $12.96

$7.43 ₡3,349

74.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.86 $15.86

$10.42 ₡4,697

52.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.86 $20.86

$13.66 ₡6,156

52.71%

Apples (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$2.32 ₡1,044

271.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.61 ₡728

49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$4.74 ₡2,138

20.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$1.66 ₡747

217.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.72 ₡1,679

17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.57 ₡1,611

37.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.10 ₡497

166.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.55 ₡1,149

10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 $8.08

$4.95 ₡2,232

63.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$20.01 ₡9,020

-26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.79 ₡1,256

4.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.53 ₡1,589

-4.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.19 ₡537

113.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.0 $78.0

$72.1 ₡32.5K

8.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.24 ₡1,011

59.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.55 ₡701

1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.91 $39.91

$8.86 ₡3,993

350.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.57 ₡708

-35.67%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

63.60%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-27.93%

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

$246 $246

$93.5 ₡42.1K

163.21%

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

$68.7 $68.7

$35.11 ₡15.8K

95.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 $75.7

$51.5 ₡23.2K

46.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.38 $32.38

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-54.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 $19.91

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-43.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$7.84 ₡3,535

75.89%

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

$1,422 $1,422

$490 ₡220.7K

190.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

99.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 $58.9

$53.5 ₡24.1K

9.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 $39.39

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-29.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 $86.6

$79.3 ₡35.7K

9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$78.9 ₡35.6K

52.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 $1,522

$786 ₡354.3K

93.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$919 $919

$780 ₡351.6K

17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 $2,127

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-44.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 $1,702

$1,407 ₡634.4K

20.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,391 $1,391

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-80.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,857 $1,857

$1,201 ₡541.3K

54.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,116 $4,116

$876 ₡395.0K

369.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

8.62

-22.04%

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

Last update for Saint Louis, MO: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Louis, MO

$919 38.2%

Nosara

$780 43% 15.1% $139

Groceries & Markets

Saint Louis, MO

$498 20.7%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 29.8% $149

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Louis, MO

$390 16.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 53.9% $210

Eating Out

Saint Louis, MO

$302 12.6%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 30.7% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Louis, MO

$137 5.7%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 12.3% $17

Getting Around

Saint Louis, MO

$100 4.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 12.8% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Louis, MO

$60 2.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 45.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,522 in Saint Louis, MO 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 370% higher in Saint Louis, MO, 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 Saint Louis, MO versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $498 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Louis, MO

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:39 2:39 AM

01:39 1:39 AM

1 h behind Saint Louis, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

301,578

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 →

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Saint Louis, MO Nosara 3,220 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Louis, MO
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

Saint Louis, MO vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,440 in Saint Louis, MO, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,660 per month in Saint Louis, MO 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 8% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,422 per month in Saint Louis, MO 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 Saint Louis, MO at $2,440. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Louis, MO 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 $2,440 in Saint Louis, MO. 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, Saint Louis, MO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.