Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Upland, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,837 in Upland, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Upland, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

139

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

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Upland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,837

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,837 per month in Upland, CA vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Upland, CA $2,837
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $4,100 per month in Upland, CA vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Upland, CA $4,100
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $5,362 per month in Upland, CA vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Upland, CA $5,362
Nosara $3,814

Upland, CA costs about 55% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Upland, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – Upland, CA by 109%, Nosara by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.96 $14.96

$12.34 ₡5,535

21.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 $68.7

$61.3 ₡27.5K

12.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$7.76 ₡3,481

56.44%

Cappuccino

$1.95 $1.95

$4.44 ₡1,992

-56.08%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$1.79 ₡803

13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.29 ₡580

58.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 $7.63

$3.24 ₡1,451

135.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.57 $9.57

$4.43 ₡1,985

116.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.55 ₡696

-32.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 $1.63

$3.08 ₡1,380

-47.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.53 ₡1,133

-15.42%

Eggs

$4.72 $4.72

$3.45 ₡1,546

36.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 $8.85

$7.32 ₡3,284

20.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$10.24 ₡4,594

-36.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$14.10 ₡6,326

-22.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.29 ₡1,027

95.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.64 ₡737

1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.79 ₡2,149

-31.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$1.64 ₡735

254.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.85 ₡1,727

-42.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.75 ₡1,681

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.09 ₡488

79.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.59 ₡1,160

-27.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$5.12 ₡2,295

132.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 $12.13

$19.92 ₡8,931

-39.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.80 ₡1,255

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$3.52 ₡1,580

-64.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$73.9 ₡33.1K

-19.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 $6.15

$2.17 ₡973

183.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.55 ₡697

-5.16%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-16.74%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-28.77%

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

$168 $168

$94.8 ₡42.5K

76.88%

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

$66.6 $66.6

$36.15 ₡16.2K

84.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 $58.1

$53.1 ₡23.8K

9.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$7.91 ₡3,548

53.10%

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

$1,890 $1,890

$490 ₡219.9K

285.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$54.8 ₡24.6K

0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 $40.06

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-28.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$80.4 ₡36.0K

10.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$77.9 ₡34.9K

56.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$801 ₡359.1K

84.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$790 ₡354.1K

123.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,598 $2,598

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,986 $2,986

$1,409 ₡632.0K

111.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,302 $5,302

$887 ₡397.6K

498.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-42.00%

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

Last update for Upland, 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

Upland, CA

$1.8K 62.2%

Nosara

$790 43% 55.3% $976

Groceries & Markets

Upland, CA

$299 10.5%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 17% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Upland, CA

$292 10.3%

Nosara

$184 10% 37.1% $108

Eating Out

Upland, CA

$253 8.9%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 15.9% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Upland, CA

$137 4.9%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 12% $16

Getting Around

Upland, CA

$66 * 2.3%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 35.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Upland, CA

$24 * 0.9%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 270% $65

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Upland, 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 498% higher in Upland, 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 $69.0 in Upland, CA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Upland, CA vs $350 in Nosara – so Upland, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Upland, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

14:00 2:00 PM

15:00 3:00 PM

1 h ahead of Upland, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,379

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 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 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

Upland, CA Nosara 4,220 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Upland, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,837 in Upland, CA, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,255 per month in Upland, 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 24% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,890 per month in Upland, 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 Upland, CA at $2,837. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Upland, 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 $2,837 in Upland, 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, Upland, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.