Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abadan and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Abadan: $513 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Abadan
🇮🇷 Iran
$513
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $513 in Abadan versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Abadan $513
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $820 in Abadan versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Abadan $820
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,127 in Abadan versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Abadan $1,127
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Abadan costs roughly 72% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abadan is 62% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.95 $2.95
$12.35 ₡5,539
-76.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.62 $16.62
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-72.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.12 $4.12
$7.52 ₡3,373
-45.21%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.60 $0.60
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 $0.97
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.99 $0.99
$4.41 ₡1,978
-77.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 $0.45
$1.74 ₡780
-74.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.31 ₡587
-33.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.28 ₡1,471
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.47 ₡2,004
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.56 ₡701
-30.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 $0.45
$3.02 ₡1,355
-85.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 $2.25
$2.51 ₡1,125
-10.36%
Eggs
$1.17 $1.17
$3.57 ₡1,603
-67.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.03 $5.03
$7.43 ₡3,333
-32.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 $3.17
$10.52 ₡4,717
-69.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 $9.02
$13.97 ₡6,265
-35.43%
Apples (1kg)
$1.16 $1.16
$2.35 ₡1,052
-50.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.61 ₡720
12.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.89 $0.89
$4.80 ₡2,152
-81.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 $0.56
$1.61 ₡724
-65.22%
Potato (1kg)
$0.53 $0.53
$3.80 ₡1,703
-86.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 $0.46
$3.69 ₡1,657
-87.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.49 $0.49
$1.13 ₡507
-56.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 $0.24
$2.66 ₡1,191
-90.98%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.91 $0.91
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 $0.48
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 $1.39
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 $2.53
$5.18 ₡2,321
-51.16%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$19.88 ₡8,916
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.90 ₡1,300
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.63 ₡1,626
-
🚌 Getting Around
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.14 $0.14
$1.12 ₡504
-87.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.69 $9.69
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-86.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.39 $0.39
$2.14 ₡958
-81.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 $0.31
$1.57 ₡703
-80.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 $2.32
$8.52 ₡3,823
-72.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$1.52 ₡682
-94.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.4K $49.4K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
128.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.4K $44.4K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
28.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$13.48 $13.48
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-86.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.63 $1.63
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-95.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.55 $3.55
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-93.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.76 $17.76
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-75.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.51 $12.51
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-64.16%
Cinema Ticket
$2.03 $2.03
$7.89 ₡3,539
-74.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$108 $108
$494 ₡221.6K
-78.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,343 $2,343
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-80.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.38 $20.38
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-62.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.95 $27.95
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-49.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 $105
$77.9 ₡34.9K
34.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 $79.5
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-0.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$288 $288
$788 ₡353.4K
-63.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$186 $186
$794 ₡356.2K
-76.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$774 $774
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-80.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$318 $318
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-77.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$709 $709
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-89.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,022 $1,022
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-16.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abadan
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$444 $444
$864 ₡387.3K
-48.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
8.62
181.90%

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

Last update for Abadan: 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
Abadan
$186
Nosara
$794 328% $609
Groceries & Markets
Abadan
$117
Nosara
$352 200% $235
Clothing & Footwear
Abadan
$105
Nosara
$120 14.6% $15
Eating Out
Abadan
$53
Nosara
$212 299% $159
Sport & Entertainment
Abadan
$22
Nosara
$87 300% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abadan
$19
Nosara
$186 896% $167
Getting Around
Abadan
$12
Nosara
$87 613% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $288 in Abadan and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 94% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Abadan vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $352 per month, with Abadan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Abadan
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
11:40 11:40 AM
02:10 2:10 AM
9 h 30 min behind Abadan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
231,476
4,912
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Abadan Nosara 13,360 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Abadan
  • 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
Abadan vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Abadan?
Abadan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 258% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Abadan or Nosara?
On paper, salaries run 94% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Abadan and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $288 in Abadan versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Abadan or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Abadan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Abadan and in Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $513 per month in Abadan versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 258% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Abadan or in Nosara?
At $513 in Abadan versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abadan but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Abadan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Abadan or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Abadan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Abadan or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Abadan and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Abadan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 258% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Abadan vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?