Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sunnyvale, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $4,372 in Sunnyvale, CA, rent and utilities included – about $30,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

210

Cost of Living Index in Sunnyvale, CA
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Sunnyvale, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Sunnyvale, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,372

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,372 per month in Sunnyvale, CA vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Sunnyvale, CA $4,372
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $5,837 per month in Sunnyvale, CA vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Sunnyvale, CA $5,837
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $7,302 per month in Sunnyvale, CA vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Sunnyvale, CA $7,302
Nosara $3,814

Sunnyvale, CA costs about 138% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sunnyvale, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – Sunnyvale, CA by 223%, Nosara by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.54 $24.54

$12.34 ₡5,535

98.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$61.3 ₡27.5K

21.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$7.76 ₡3,481

55.54%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$4.44 ₡1,992

31.98%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$1.79 ₡803

51.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.29 ₡580

103.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.41 $5.41

$3.24 ₡1,451

66.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$4.43 ₡1,985

37.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.55 ₡696

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.08 ₡1,380

25.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.53 ₡1,133

75.10%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$3.45 ₡1,546

42.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$7.32 ₡3,284

-10.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.07 $13.07

$10.24 ₡4,594

27.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.10 ₡6,326

-6.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.29 ₡1,027

-2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.64 ₡737

29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$4.79 ₡2,149

-53.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.64 ₡735

35.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.85 ₡1,727

-35.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$3.75 ₡1,681

-51.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.09 ₡488

126.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.59 ₡1,160

-60.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$5.12 ₡2,295

132.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 $13.24

$19.92 ₡8,931

-33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.80 ₡1,255

-37.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.52 ₡1,580

-13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.22 ₡549

101.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 $89.7

$73.9 ₡33.1K

21.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.17 ₡973

93.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.56 ₡698

26.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.57 $30.57

$8.67 ₡3,886

252.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.55 ₡697

-0.65%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-17.83%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-30.75%

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

$256 $256

$94.8 ₡42.5K

169.87%

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

$40.89 $40.89

$36.15 ₡16.2K

13.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 $61.2

$53.1 ₡23.8K

15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.71 $49.71

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-32.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.07 $17.07

$35.63 ₡16.0K

-52.09%

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 $15.42

$7.91 ₡3,548

94.94%

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

$2,100 $2,100

$490 ₡219.9K

328.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K $24.9K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

109.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 $63.7

$54.8 ₡24.6K

16.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 $34.98

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-37.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$80.4 ₡36.0K

29.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 $201

$77.9 ₡34.9K

157.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,351 $3,351

$801 ₡359.1K

318.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 $2,942

$790 ₡354.1K

272.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,393 $5,393

$4,005 ₡1.8M

34.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,211 $4,211

$1,409 ₡632.0K

198.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,573 $9,573

$7,064 ₡3.2M

35.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,574 $8,574

$1,236 ₡554.3K

593.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,663 $8,663

$887 ₡397.6K

877.09%

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 Sunnyvale, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sunnyvale, CA

$2.9K 67.3%

Nosara

$790 43% 73.2% $2.2K

Eating Out

Sunnyvale, CA

$363 8.3%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 41.5% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sunnyvale, CA

$358 8.2%

Nosara

$184 10% 48.6% $174

Groceries & Markets

Sunnyvale, CA

$334 7.6%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 4.8% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Sunnyvale, CA

$181 4.2%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 33.3% $60

Getting Around

Sunnyvale, CA

$114 2.6%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 21.9% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Sunnyvale, CA

$81 1.8%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 11.2% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,351 in Sunnyvale, 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 877% higher in Sunnyvale, 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 $74.0 in Sunnyvale, CA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Sunnyvale, CA vs $350 in Nosara – so Sunnyvale, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sunnyvale, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:58 10:58 AM

11:58 11:58 AM

1 h ahead of Sunnyvale, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,703

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sunnyvale, CA Nosara 4,740 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Sunnyvale, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,372 in Sunnyvale, CA, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 138% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,558 per month in Sunnyvale, CA and $2,753 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 21% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,100 per month in Sunnyvale, 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 $1,835, than in Sunnyvale, CA at $4,372. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sunnyvale, 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 $1,835 in Nosara to $4,372 in Sunnyvale, 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, Sunnyvale, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.