Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $4,955 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $37,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

237

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,955

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,955 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $4,955
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $6,421 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $6,421
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $7,886 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $7,886
Nosara $3,712

San Rafael, CA costs about 170% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Rafael, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – San Rafael, CA by 270%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.06 $25.06

$12.22 ₡5,509

105.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$60.2 ₡27.1K

100.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$7.54 ₡3,399

60.08%

Cappuccino

$4.67 $4.67

$4.31 ₡1,941

8.35%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$1.72 ₡773

72.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.35 ₡608

120.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.24 ₡1,459

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$4.48 ₡2,018

55.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.57 ₡707

-4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.17 ₡1,429

39.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$2.42 ₡1,091

300.41%

Eggs

$5.52 $5.52

$3.57 ₡1,609

54.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.55 $22.55

$7.43 ₡3,349

203.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.37 $15.37

$10.42 ₡4,697

47.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.20 $18.20

$13.66 ₡6,156

33.24%

Apples (1kg)

$7.34 $7.34

$2.32 ₡1,044

216.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.61 ₡728

81.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$4.74 ₡2,138

40.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.27 $8.27

$1.66 ₡747

398.19%

Potato (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.72 ₡1,679

55.38%

Onion (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$3.57 ₡1,611

52.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.10 ₡497

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.55 ₡1,149

51.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 $10.79

$4.95 ₡2,232

117.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.81 $12.81

$20.01 ₡9,020

-35.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.79 ₡1,256

-20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.53 ₡1,589

-12.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.19 ₡537

67.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 $64.5

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-10.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.24 ₡1,011

83.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.55 ₡701

176.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$8.86 ₡3,993

223.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.57 ₡708

-8.28%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

47.63%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-21.18%

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

$259 $259

$93.5 ₡42.1K

177.38%

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

$84.3 $84.3

$35.11 ₡15.8K

140.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$51.5 ₡23.2K

20.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$124 $124

$71.4 ₡32.2K

73.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 $29.76

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-16.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 $12.97

$7.84 ₡3,535

65.43%

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

$2,128 $2,128

$490 ₡220.7K

334.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

107.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 $59.2

$53.5 ₡24.1K

10.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.66 $42.66

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-23.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 $94.0

$79.3 ₡35.7K

18.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$78.9 ₡35.6K

61.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,079 $3,079

$786 ₡354.3K

291.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,143 $3,143

$780 ₡351.6K

302.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,230 $4,230

$3,860 ₡1.7M

9.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,789 $3,789

$1,407 ₡634.4K

169.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,545 $7,545

$6,972 ₡3.1M

8.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,372 $5,372

$1,201 ₡541.3K

347.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,047 $7,047

$876 ₡395.0K

704.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

8.62

-23.20%

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

Last update for San Rafael, CA: 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

San Rafael, CA

$3.1K 64.5%

Nosara

$780 43% 75.2% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

San Rafael, CA

$572 11.7%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 38.9% $222

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Rafael, CA

$405 8.3%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 55.6% $225

Eating Out

San Rafael, CA

$357 7.3%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 41.4% $148

Sport & Entertainment

San Rafael, CA

$150 3.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 41.9% $63

Clothing & Footwear

San Rafael, CA

$146 3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 17.4% $25

Getting Around

San Rafael, CA

$98 2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 11.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,079 in San Rafael, 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 704% higher in San Rafael, 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 $120 in San Rafael, CA versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $572 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

20:42 8:42 PM

21:42 9:42 PM

1 h ahead of San Rafael, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,704

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 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 12, 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

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Between locations

San Rafael, CA Nosara 4,820 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

San Rafael, 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

San Rafael, CA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,955 in San Rafael, CA, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 170% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,432 per month in San Rafael, 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 12% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,128 per month in San Rafael, 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 San Rafael, CA at $4,955. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Rafael, 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 $4,955 in San Rafael, 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, San Rafael, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.