Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Springfield, IL and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,675 in Springfield, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Springfield, IL
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Springfield, IL Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Springfield, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,675

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,675 per month in Springfield, IL vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Springfield, IL $2,675
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,965 per month in Springfield, IL vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Springfield, IL $3,965
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,255 per month in Springfield, IL vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Springfield, IL $5,255
Nosara $3,712

Springfield, IL costs about 46% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Springfield, IL and Nosara sit above the global median – Springfield, IL by 100%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.54 $14.54

$12.22 ₡5,509

18.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.11 $42.11

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-30.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$7.54 ₡3,399

35.15%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.31 ₡1,941

27.15%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$1.72 ₡773

18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.35 ₡608

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.24 ₡1,459

-5.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$4.48 ₡2,018

-9.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.57 ₡707

-51.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.17 ₡1,429

5.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$2.42 ₡1,091

266.94%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$3.57 ₡1,609

-11.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.33 $19.33

$7.43 ₡3,349

160.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.04 $17.04

$10.42 ₡4,697

63.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.92 $32.92

$13.66 ₡6,156

141.00%

Apples (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$2.32 ₡1,044

266.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.61 ₡728

-19.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$4.74 ₡2,138

88.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$1.66 ₡747

243.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.72 ₡1,679

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.57 ₡1,611

23.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.10 ₡497

77.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.55 ₡1,149

-33.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 $9.98

$4.95 ₡2,232

101.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 $11.21

$20.01 ₡9,020

-43.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.79 ₡1,256

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.53 ₡1,589

-54.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.19 ₡537

7.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.33 $40.33

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-44.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 $5.74

$2.24 ₡1,011

156.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.55 ₡701

-33.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.25 $18.25

$8.86 ₡3,993

105.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.57 ₡708

-42.68%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

65.96%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-23.97%

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

$232 $232

$93.5 ₡42.1K

147.81%

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

$95.0 $95.0

$35.11 ₡15.8K

170.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$51.5 ₡23.2K

24.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 $50.5

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-29.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-43.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 $12.45

$7.84 ₡3,535

58.80%

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

$941 $941

$490 ₡220.7K

92.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 $106

$53.5 ₡24.1K

98.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 $55.3

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 $125

$79.3 ₡35.7K

57.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$78.9 ₡35.6K

76.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 $910

$786 ₡354.3K

15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 $1,137

$780 ₡351.6K

45.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-51.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,192 $2,192

$1,407 ₡634.4K

55.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,175 $3,175

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-54.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 $1,176

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-2.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 $3,963

$876 ₡395.0K

352.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

8.62

-24.01%

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

Last update for Springfield, IL: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Springfield, IL

$1.1K 43.3%

Nosara

$780 43% 31.4% $358

Groceries & Markets

Springfield, IL

$524 20%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 33.3% $175

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Springfield, IL

$391 14.9%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 53.9% $211

Eating Out

Springfield, IL

$250 9.5%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 16.3% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Springfield, IL

$192 7.3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 37.2% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Springfield, IL

$75 2.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 15.5% $12

Getting Around

Springfield, IL

$56 2.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 54.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $910 in Springfield, IL 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 352% higher in Springfield, IL, 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 $42.00 in Springfield, IL versus $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $524 in Springfield, IL vs $350 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Springfield, IL

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

01:36 1:36 AM

1 h behind Springfield, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

116,482

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 →

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Springfield, IL Nosara 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Springfield, IL
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

Springfield, IL vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,675 in Springfield, IL, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 46% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,013 per month in Springfield, IL 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 79% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $941 per month in Springfield, IL 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 Springfield, IL at $2,675. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Springfield, IL 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 $2,675 in Springfield, IL. 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, Springfield, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.