Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yakima, WA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,253 in Yakima, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yakima, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,253
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,253 per month in Yakima, WA vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Yakima, WA $2,253
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Yakima, WA vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Yakima, WA $3,276
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $4,299 per month in Yakima, WA vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Yakima, WA $4,299
  • Nosara $3,814

Yakima, WA costs about 23% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Yakima, WA and Nosara sit above the global median – Yakima, WA by 66%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.57 $15.57
$12.34 ₡5,535
26.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.1 $64.1
$61.3 ₡27.5K
4.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.38 $11.38
$7.76 ₡3,481
46.65%
Cappuccino
$4.54 $4.54
$4.44 ₡1,992
2.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.79 ₡803
20.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.29 ₡580
103.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.78 $3.78
$3.24 ₡1,451
16.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 $4.17
$4.43 ₡1,985
-5.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.55 ₡696
-36.13%
White Bread (500g)
$3.90 $3.90
$3.08 ₡1,380
26.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.60 $3.60
$2.53 ₡1,133
42.29%
Eggs
$3.22 $3.22
$3.45 ₡1,546
-6.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.70 $11.70
$7.32 ₡3,284
59.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 $8.88
$10.24 ₡4,594
-13.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.80 $14.80
$14.10 ₡6,326
4.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.29 ₡1,027
51.97%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.64 ₡737
-3.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$4.79 ₡2,149
-10.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.42 $3.42
$1.64 ₡735
108.54%
Potato (1kg)
$2.28 $2.28
$3.85 ₡1,727
-40.78%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 $2.16
$3.75 ₡1,681
-42.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.09 ₡488
88.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$2.59 ₡1,160
-34.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.34 $12.34
$5.12 ₡2,295
141.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.06 $14.06
$19.92 ₡8,931
-29.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$2.80 ₡1,255
-37.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.83 $4.83
$3.52 ₡1,580
37.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.08 $5.08
$1.22 ₡549
316.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.62 $2.62
$2.17 ₡973
20.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.56 ₡698
-41.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.08 $30.08
$8.67 ₡3,886
246.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.55 ₡697
-18.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K $28.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-18.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-29.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$94.8 ₡42.5K
130.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.1 $54.1
$36.15 ₡16.2K
49.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.1 $69.1
$53.1 ₡23.8K
30.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 $51.4
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-30.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.10 $14.10
$7.91 ₡3,548
78.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,720 $1,720
$490 ₡219.9K
250.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,241 $7,241
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-39.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 $61.7
$54.8 ₡24.6K
12.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.66 $43.66
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-21.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.5 $81.5
$80.4 ₡36.0K
1.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 $110
$77.9 ₡34.9K
40.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,044 $1,044
$801 ₡359.1K
30.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 $1,063
$790 ₡354.1K
34.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,694 $1,694
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-57.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,749 $1,749
$1,409 ₡632.0K
24.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,662 $2,662
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-62.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,471 $2,471
$1,236 ₡554.3K
99.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yakima, WA
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,530 $3,530
$887 ₡397.6K
298.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.44
8.62
-25.29%

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

Last update for Yakima, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Yakima, WA
$1.1K
Nosara
$790 25.7% $273
Groceries & Markets
Yakima, WA
$348
Nosara
$350 0.6% $2.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yakima, WA
$342
Nosara
$184 46.2% $158
Eating Out
Yakima, WA
$260
Nosara
$213 18.1% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Yakima, WA
$133
Nosara
$121 9.3% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Yakima, WA
$80
Nosara
$90 12.6% $10
Getting Around
Yakima, WA
$28 *
Nosara
$89 222% $61

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,044 in Yakima, WA 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 298% higher in Yakima, WA, 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 $64.0 in Yakima, WA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in Yakima, WA vs $350 in Nosara – so Yakima, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Yakima, WA
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
01:45 1:45 AM
02:45 2:45 AM
1 h ahead of Yakima, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
96,968
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 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
  • Yakima, WA Nosara 5,230 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yakima, WA
  • 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
Yakima, WA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Yakima, WA and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,253 in Yakima, WA, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Yakima, WA compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,379 per month in Yakima, WA 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 Yakima, WA 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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Yakima, WA 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?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Yakima, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
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 Yakima, WA at $2,253. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yakima, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Yakima, WA and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,835 in Nosara to $2,253 in Yakima, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Yakima, WA 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 Yakima, WA and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yakima, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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