Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Trenton, NJ and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,566 in Trenton, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Trenton, NJ
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Trenton, NJ Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Trenton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,566

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,566 per month in Trenton, NJ vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Trenton, NJ $2,566
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $4,157 per month in Trenton, NJ vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Trenton, NJ $4,157
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $5,748 per month in Trenton, NJ vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Trenton, NJ $5,748
Nosara $3,818

Trenton, NJ costs about 40% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Trenton, NJ and Nosara sit above the global median – Trenton, NJ by 90%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.81 $17.81

$12.35 ₡5,539

44.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 $64.8

$61.2 ₡27.4K

5.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$7.52 ₡3,373

61.04%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$4.41 ₡1,978

12.47%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$1.74 ₡780

50.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.31 ₡587

61.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.99 $6.99

$3.28 ₡1,471

113.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$4.47 ₡2,004

77.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.56 ₡701

-21.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.02 ₡1,355

29.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.51 ₡1,125

-28.69%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$3.57 ₡1,603

30.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 $11.89

$7.43 ₡3,333

60.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$10.52 ₡4,717

-5.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 $11.05

$13.97 ₡6,265

-20.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.35 ₡1,052

78.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.61 ₡720

39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$4.80 ₡2,152

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.61 ₡724

176.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.80 ₡1,703

-46.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.69 ₡1,657

-11.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.13 ₡507

76.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.66 ₡1,191

-23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 $14.82

$5.18 ₡2,321

186.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$19.88 ₡8,916

-58.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.90 ₡1,300

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.63 ₡1,626

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.12 ₡504

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 $54.9

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-24.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.14 ₡958

41.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.57 ₡703

36.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.26 $41.26

$8.52 ₡3,823

384.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.52 ₡682

-38.82%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

61.32%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-27.88%

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

$143 $143

$96.3 ₡43.2K

48.72%

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

$62.1 $62.1

$35.89 ₡16.1K

73.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 $62.8

$53.6 ₡24.0K

17.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 $29.77

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-58.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$12.31 $12.31

$7.89 ₡3,539

56.02%

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

$2,574 $2,574

$494 ₡221.6K

420.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K $34.5K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

190.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 $63.7

$53.9 ₡24.2K

18.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-8.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 $88.6

$77.9 ₡34.9K

13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$79.6 ₡35.7K

53.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 $1,714

$788 ₡353.4K

117.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 $1,366

$794 ₡356.2K

72.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,366 $2,366

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-39.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,086 $3,086

$1,419 ₡636.5K

117.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,144 $3,144

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-54.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,036 $3,036

$1,224 ₡549.0K

147.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,395 $3,395

$864 ₡387.3K

293.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

8.62

-22.62%

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

Last update for Trenton, NJ: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Trenton, NJ

$1.4K 53.3%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 41.9% $572

Groceries & Markets

Trenton, NJ

$347 13.5%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 1.5% $5.1

Eating Out

Trenton, NJ

$308 12%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 31.2% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Trenton, NJ

$268 10.5%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 30.7% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Trenton, NJ

$146 5.7%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 17.8% $26

Getting Around

Trenton, NJ

$76 3%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 15% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Trenton, NJ

$54 2.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 60.6% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,714 in Trenton, NJ versus $788 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 293% higher in Trenton, NJ, 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 $65.0 in Trenton, NJ versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Trenton, NJ vs $352 in Nosara – so Trenton, NJ wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Trenton, NJ

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:46 4:46 AM

02:46 2:46 AM

2 h behind Trenton, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,923

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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

Trenton, NJ Nosara 3,530 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Trenton, NJ
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

Trenton, NJ vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,566 in Trenton, NJ, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,849 per month in Trenton, NJ and $2,758 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 32% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,574 per month in Trenton, NJ and $494 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 $1,839, than in Trenton, NJ at $2,566. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trenton, NJ 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 $1,839 in Nosara to $2,566 in Trenton, NJ. 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, Trenton, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.