Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Ramon, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,251 in San Ramon, CA, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Ramon, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,251
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,251 per month in San Ramon, CA vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • San Ramon, CA $3,251
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $2,965 per month in San Ramon, CA vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • San Ramon, CA $2,965
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $2,680 per month in San Ramon, CA vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • San Ramon, CA $2,680
  • Nosara $3,814

San Ramon, CA costs about 77% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Ramon, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – San Ramon, CA by 140%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.22 $19.22
$12.34 ₡5,535
55.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.8 $50.8
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-17.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.87 $10.87
$7.76 ₡3,481
40.08%
Cappuccino
$5.36 $5.36
$4.44 ₡1,992
20.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.79 ₡803
69.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.29 ₡580
96.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.19 $9.19
$3.24 ₡1,451
183.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.89 $7.89
$4.43 ₡1,985
78.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 $1.32
$1.55 ₡696
-14.84%
White Bread (500g)
$4.17 $4.17
$3.08 ₡1,380
35.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.87 $4.87
$2.53 ₡1,133
92.49%
Eggs
$3.89 $3.89
$3.45 ₡1,546
12.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.97 $24.97
$7.32 ₡3,284
241.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.84 $11.84
$10.24 ₡4,594
15.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.29 $13.29
$14.10 ₡6,326
-5.74%
Apples (1kg)
$5.40 $5.40
$2.29 ₡1,027
135.81%
Banana (1kg)
$3.22 $3.22
$1.64 ₡737
96.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 $4.79
$4.79 ₡2,149
-
Tomato (1kg)
$5.87 $5.87
$1.64 ₡735
257.93%
Potato (1kg)
$3.35 $3.35
$3.85 ₡1,727
-12.99%
Onion (1kg)
$3.99 $3.99
$3.75 ₡1,681
6.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.96 $2.96
$1.09 ₡488
171.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$2.59 ₡1,160
2.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.57 $11.57
$5.12 ₡2,295
125.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.93 $12.93
$19.92 ₡8,931
-35.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 $2.07
$2.80 ₡1,255
-26.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 $2.53
$3.52 ₡1,580
-28.13%
🚌 Getting Around
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.22 ₡549
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.06 $4.06
$2.17 ₡973
87.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.12 $5.12
$1.56 ₡698
228.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.67 ₡3,886
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.55 ₡697
-20.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-18.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-29.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$140 $140
$94.8 ₡42.5K
47.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.37 $39.37
$36.15 ₡16.2K
8.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.5 $63.5
$53.1 ₡23.8K
19.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.11 $20.11
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-72.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.77 $16.77
$7.91 ₡3,548
112.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,796 $1,796
$490 ₡219.9K
266.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.3K $24.3K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
104.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.41 $49.41
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-9.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.41 $39.41
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-29.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.6 $99.6
$80.4 ₡36.0K
23.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.0 $61.0
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-21.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,375 $2,375
$801 ₡359.1K
196.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,016 $2,016
$790 ₡354.1K
155.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,946 $2,946
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-26.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,236 ₡554.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Ramon, CA
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$9,337 $9,337
$887 ₡397.6K
953.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.69
8.62
-22.39%

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

Last update for San Ramon, CA: 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
San Ramon, CA
$2K
Nosara
$790 60.8% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
San Ramon, CA
$462
Nosara
$350 24.3% $112
Eating Out
San Ramon, CA
$335
Nosara
$213 36.5% $122
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Ramon, CA
$243
Nosara
$184 24.2% $59
Clothing & Footwear
San Ramon, CA
$112
Nosara
$121 7.8% $8.8
Sport & Entertainment
San Ramon, CA
$54
Nosara
$90 67.1% $36
Getting Around
San Ramon, CA
$30 *
Nosara
$89 199% $59

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,375 in San Ramon, CA 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 953% higher in San Ramon, 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 $51.0 in San Ramon, CA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $462 in San Ramon, CA vs $350 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 San Ramon, CA
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
01:05 1:05 AM
02:05 2:05 AM
1 h ahead of San Ramon, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
75,995
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 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
  • San Ramon, CA Nosara 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Ramon, 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 Ramon, CA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in San Ramon, CA and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,251 in San Ramon, CA, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 77% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in San Ramon, CA compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,876 per month in San Ramon, CA 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 San Ramon, CA 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 $51.0 in San Ramon, CA 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 32% more in San Ramon, CA, 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 San Ramon, CA at $3,251. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Ramon, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between San Ramon, CA and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $3,251 in San Ramon, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is San Ramon, CA 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 San Ramon, CA and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Ramon, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

San Ramon, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?