Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Windsor, CT and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $3,237 in Windsor, CT, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Windsor, CT
🇺🇸 United States
$3,237
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,237 per month in Windsor, CT vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Windsor, CT $3,237
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $4,524 per month in Windsor, CT vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Windsor, CT $4,524
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $5,812 per month in Windsor, CT vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Windsor, CT $5,812
  • Nosara $3,814

Windsor, CT costs about 76% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Windsor, CT and Nosara sit above the global median – Windsor, CT by 139%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.20 $30.20
$12.34 ₡5,535
144.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100 $100
$61.3 ₡27.5K
63.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.77 $11.77
$7.76 ₡3,481
51.68%
Cappuccino
$5.23 $5.23
$4.44 ₡1,992
17.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.79 ₡803
47.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.29 ₡580
72.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.89 $6.89
$3.24 ₡1,451
112.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.35 $7.35
$4.43 ₡1,985
65.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.55 ₡696
-8.39%
White Bread (500g)
$4.69 $4.69
$3.08 ₡1,380
52.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.20 $7.20
$2.53 ₡1,133
184.58%
Eggs
$6.07 $6.07
$3.45 ₡1,546
75.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.70 $20.70
$7.32 ₡3,284
182.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.67 $14.67
$10.24 ₡4,594
43.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.44 $19.44
$14.10 ₡6,326
37.87%
Apples (1kg)
$7.17 $7.17
$2.29 ₡1,027
213.10%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.64 ₡737
28.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.58 $5.58
$4.79 ₡2,149
16.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 $4.50
$1.64 ₡735
174.39%
Potato (1kg)
$2.24 $2.24
$3.85 ₡1,727
-41.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.76 $2.76
$3.75 ₡1,681
-26.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.04 $3.04
$1.09 ₡488
178.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$2.59 ₡1,160
13.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.37 $13.37
$5.12 ₡2,295
161.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.29 $16.29
$19.92 ₡8,931
-18.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.05 $3.05
$2.80 ₡1,255
8.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 $4.49
$3.52 ₡1,580
27.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.22 ₡549
47.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.1 $99.1
$73.9 ₡33.1K
34.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.17 ₡973
23.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.56 ₡698
13.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.25 $20.25
$8.67 ₡3,886
133.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 $1.10
$1.55 ₡697
-29.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K $28.8K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-16.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-30.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$224 $224
$94.8 ₡42.5K
135.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.4 $55.4
$36.15 ₡16.2K
53.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.4 $86.4
$53.1 ₡23.8K
62.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.61 $41.61
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-43.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.40 $20.40
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-42.74%
Cinema Ticket
$15.37 $15.37
$7.91 ₡3,548
94.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,187 $1,187
$490 ₡219.9K
142.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.9K $33.9K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
185.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.1 $69.1
$54.8 ₡24.6K
26.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5 $50.5
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-9.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 $80.1
$80.4 ₡36.0K
-0.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 $98.9
$77.9 ₡34.9K
27.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,968 $1,968
$801 ₡359.1K
145.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 $1,621
$790 ₡354.1K
105.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,480 $2,480
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-38.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,164 $2,164
$1,409 ₡632.0K
53.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,050 $3,050
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-56.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,272 $2,272
$1,236 ₡554.3K
83.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Windsor, CT
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,648 $5,648
$887 ₡397.6K
537.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.56
8.62
-23.90%

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

Last update for Windsor, CT: 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
Windsor, CT
$1.6K
Nosara
$790 51.3% $831
Groceries & Markets
Windsor, CT
$518
Nosara
$350 32.5% $168
Eating Out
Windsor, CT
$408
Nosara
$213 47.9% $196
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Windsor, CT
$365
Nosara
$184 49.6% $181
Clothing & Footwear
Windsor, CT
$134
Nosara
$121 10% $13
Getting Around
Windsor, CT
$118
Nosara
$89 24.7% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Windsor, CT
$72
Nosara
$90 23.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,968 in Windsor, CT 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 537% higher in Windsor, CT, 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 $100 in Windsor, CT versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $518 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Windsor, CT
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
20:48 8:48 PM
18:48 6:48 PM
2 h behind Windsor, CT
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
22,522
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Windsor, CT Nosara 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Windsor, CT
  • 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
Windsor, CT vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Windsor, CT and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,237 in Windsor, CT, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 76% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Windsor, CT compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,855 per month in Windsor, CT and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Windsor, CT and Nosara?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Windsor, CT and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 34% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Windsor, CT and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $1,187 per month in Windsor, CT and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Windsor, CT at $3,237. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windsor, CT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Windsor, CT and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $3,237 in Windsor, CT. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Windsor, CT 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 Windsor, CT and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Windsor, CT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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