Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wausau, WI and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Wausau, WI: $1,726 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

85

Cost of Living Index in Wausau, WI
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Wausau, WI Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Wausau, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,726

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,726 per month in Wausau, WI vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Wausau, WI $1,726
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $2,735 per month in Wausau, WI vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Wausau, WI $2,735
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $3,743 per month in Wausau, WI vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Wausau, WI $3,743
Nosara $3,712

Wausau, WI is about 6% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Wausau, WI and Nosara sit above the global median – Wausau, WI by 29%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$12.22 ₡5,509

62.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$60.2 ₡27.1K

24.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 $8.71

$7.54 ₡3,399

15.52%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$4.31 ₡1,941

12.53%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$1.72 ₡773

63.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.35 ₡608

43.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$3.24 ₡1,459

73.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.48 ₡2,018

20.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.57 ₡707

-45.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.17 ₡1,429

-10.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.42 ₡1,091

117.36%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$3.57 ₡1,609

30.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$7.43 ₡3,349

16.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$10.42 ₡4,697

-34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 $13.53

$13.66 ₡6,156

-0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.32 ₡1,044

79.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.61 ₡728

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.74 ₡2,138

-15.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.66 ₡747

146.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$3.72 ₡1,679

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.57 ₡1,611

-31.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.10 ₡497

104.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.55 ₡1,149

-61.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.60 $8.60

$4.95 ₡2,232

73.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$20.01 ₡9,020

-55.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.79 ₡1,256

-30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.53 ₡1,589

-37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.24 ₡1,011

23.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.55 ₡701

1.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.77 $20.77

$8.86 ₡3,993

134.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.57 ₡708

-48.41%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

66.64%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-27.94%

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

$157 $157

$93.5 ₡42.1K

68.36%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$35.11 ₡15.8K

94.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$51.5 ₡23.2K

38.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.56 $30.56

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-57.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 $5.93

$7.84 ₡3,535

-24.36%

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

$1,806 $1,806

$490 ₡220.7K

269.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

107.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.53 $24.53

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-54.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.50 $40.50

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-27.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 $65.8

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 $83.5

$78.9 ₡35.6K

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 $928

$786 ₡354.3K

18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 $698

$780 ₡351.6K

-10.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 $1,565

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-59.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 $1,398

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-0.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 $1,662

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-76.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 $1,714

$1,201 ₡541.3K

42.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,486 $3,486

$876 ₡395.0K

297.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

8.62

-22.85%

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

Last update for Wausau, WI: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Wausau, WI

$698 39.8%

Nosara

$780 43% 11.8% $82

Groceries & Markets

Wausau, WI

$307 17.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 13.8% $43

Eating Out

Wausau, WI

$301 17.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 30.5% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wausau, WI

$297 17%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 39.4% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Wausau, WI

$96 5.5%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 24.8% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Wausau, WI

$42 2.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 105% $45

Getting Around

Wausau, WI

$11 * 0.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 716% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $928 in Wausau, WI 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 298% higher in Wausau, WI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Wausau, WI versus $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Wausau, WI vs $350 in Nosara – so Wausau, WI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wausau, WI

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

11:29 11:29 AM

10:29 10:29 AM

1 h behind Wausau, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,435

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 →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Wausau, WI Nosara 3,910 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Wausau, WI
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

Wausau, WI vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,726 in Wausau, WI, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 6% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,589 per month in Wausau, WI 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 Wausau, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Wausau, WI and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wausau, WI, where all-in costs run around $1,726, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Wausau, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara 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 $1,726 in Wausau, WI to $1,837 in Nosara. 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 Wausau, WI. 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.