Los Angeles vs Santa Teresa
💰
Santa Teresa saves you $1,100/month
📶
Los Angeles has 6x faster internet
🌡️
Mediterranean vs Tropical Wet climate
🛂
Costa Rica offers a digital nomad visa
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Los Angeles
Santa Teresa
Total Budget
$4,100/mo
$3,000/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$2,500/mo
$1,200/mo ✓
Coworking
$350/mo
$170/mo ✓
Meal Out
$15
$10 ✓
Coffee
$7
$5 ✓
Santa Teresa is $1,100/mo cheaper (37% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇺🇸 Los Angeles
📶 Internet300 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-8
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London3h
🇩🇪 Berlin2h
🇨🇷 Santa Teresa
📶 Internet50-100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Los Angeles
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp18°C
Rainy Days41/year
Best months: June, July, April, May
Santa Teresa
ClimateTropical Wet
Avg Temp26°C
Rainy Days265/year
Best months: February, January, March
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
12°26°
Apr
16°27°
Jul
23°26°
Oct
20°25°
Los AngelesSanta Teresa
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇺🇸Los Angeles
🇨🇷Santa Teresa
💰
Monthly Budget
$4,100
$3,000
Winner📶
Internet Speed
300 Mbps
Winner50 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.2/5
3.8/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
10/10
Winner8/10
🎉
Nightlife
9/10
Winner7/10
🚶
Walkability
4/10
4/10
👥
Community
large
Winnermedium
4
Los Angeles wins
vs
2
Santa Teresa wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Santa Teresa
$1100/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Los Angeles
300 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Los Angeles
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Santa Teresa
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Los Angeles
Better food scene with incredible variety
🎉Party Person
Los Angeles
World-famous nightlife scene
🇺🇸Los Angeles
Pros
- +Year-round sunny Mediterranean climate with mild winters
- +World-class entertainment, dining, and cultural scene
- +Excellent high-speed internet infrastructure with 5G coverage
- +Diverse neighborhoods with unique vibes for every lifestyle
Cons
- −Very high cost of living, especially rent and dining
- −Traffic congestion is notorious and public transport limited
- −Safety varies significantly by neighborhood
- −Requires a car to get around most areas
🇨🇷Santa Teresa
Pros
- +World-class surf breaks and consistent waves
- +Stunning sunsets and pristine beaches
- +Thriving yoga and wellness community
- +Growing digital nomad scene with coworking spaces
Cons
- −Very expensive compared to rest of Costa Rica
- −Frequent power outages especially in rainy season
- −Remote location - 5 hours from San Jose
- −Need ATV or rental car to get around