Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ushuaia and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ushuaia: $957 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ushuaia
🇦🇷 Argentina
$957
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $957 per month in Ushuaia vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ushuaia $957
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,570 per month in Ushuaia vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ushuaia $1,570
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,183 per month in Ushuaia vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ushuaia $2,183
  • Nosara $3,818

Ushuaia is about 48% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ushuaia sits 29% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.38 ARS 15.8K
$12.35 ₡5,539
-15.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.08 ARS 50.2K
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-45.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.06 ARS 13.7K
$7.52 ₡3,373
20.48%
Cappuccino
$2.78 ARS 4,224
$4.41 ₡1,978
-36.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 ARS 2,528
$1.74 ₡780
-4.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 ARS 2,330
$1.31 ₡587
17.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.16 ARS 3,274
$3.28 ₡1,471
-34.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ARS 4,610
$4.47 ₡2,004
-31.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 ARS 1,984
$1.56 ₡701
-16.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ARS 2,388
$3.02 ₡1,355
-48.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 ARS 3,069
$2.51 ₡1,125
-19.52%
Eggs
$2.27 ARS 3,449
$3.57 ₡1,603
-36.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.15 ARS 15.4K
$7.43 ₡3,333
36.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.35 ARS 9,633
$10.52 ₡4,717
-39.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.23 ARS 14.0K
$13.97 ₡6,265
-33.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 ARS 3,052
$2.35 ₡1,052
-14.47%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 ARS 3,132
$1.61 ₡720
27.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 ARS 1,933
$4.80 ₡2,152
-73.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.62 ARS 3,980
$1.61 ₡724
62.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 ARS 1,779
$3.80 ₡1,703
-69.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 ARS 1,809
$3.69 ₡1,657
-67.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 ARS 2,005
$1.13 ₡507
16.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 ARS 2,197
$2.66 ₡1,191
-45.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.11 ARS 4,716
$5.18 ₡2,321
-39.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.02 ARS 7,625
$19.88 ₡8,916
-74.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 ARS 2,994
$2.90 ₡1,300
-32.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 ARS 4,583
$3.63 ₡1,626
-16.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 ARS 1,173
$1.12 ₡504
-31.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 ARS 2,224
$2.14 ₡958
-31.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 ARS 1,308
$1.57 ₡703
-45.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.86 ARS 8,894
$8.52 ₡3,823
-31.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ARS 1,671
$1.52 ₡682
-27.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K ARS 42.3M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
29.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K ARS 46.1M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-12.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.8 ARS 99.8K
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-31.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.24 ARS 26.2K
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-51.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.31 ARS 33.9K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-58.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.50 ARS 40.2K
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-62.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.68 ARS 20.8K
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-60.81%
Cinema Ticket
$6.16 ARS 9,341
$7.89 ₡3,539
-21.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$220 ARS 333.3K
$494 ₡221.6K
-55.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,731 ARS 4.1M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-76.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.1 ARS 113.9K
$53.9 ₡24.2K
39.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$70.4 ARS 106.8K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
26.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 ARS 173.1K
$77.9 ₡34.9K
46.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 ARS 168.4K
$79.6 ₡35.7K
39.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$342 ARS 519.2K
$788 ₡353.4K
-56.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$233 ARS 354.2K
$794 ₡356.2K
-70.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$694 ARS 1.1M
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-82.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$537 ARS 814.2K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-62.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,848 ARS 2.8M
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-73.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,594 ARS 2.4M
$1,224 ₡549.0K
30.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ushuaia
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
58.5
8.62
578.65%

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

Last update for Ushuaia: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ushuaia
$233
Nosara
$794 240% $561
Groceries & Markets
Ushuaia
$231
Nosara
$352 52.5% $121
Eating Out
Ushuaia
$173
Nosara
$212 22.2% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Ushuaia
$167
Nosara
$120 28% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ushuaia
$105
Nosara
$186 76.3% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Ushuaia
$39
Nosara
$87 125% $49
Getting Around
Ushuaia
$8.9 *
Nosara
$87 882% $78

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $342 in Ushuaia 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ushuaia versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $352 – making Ushuaia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇷 Ushuaia
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
10:59 10:59 AM
07:59 7:59 AM
3 h behind Ushuaia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,538
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to ARS – Argentine Peso Converter

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Ushuaia Nosara 7,380 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ushuaia
  • 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
Ushuaia vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ushuaia and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $957 in Ushuaia, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 92% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Ushuaia compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,436 per month in Ushuaia and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ushuaia and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ushuaia, 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 $33.00 in Ushuaia 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 52% more in Nosara, 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 $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ushuaia, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Ushuaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ushuaia and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $957 in Ushuaia to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Ushuaia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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