Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Adra and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Adra: $1,442 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Adra
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,442
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,442 per month in Adra vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Adra $1,442
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,084 per month in Adra vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Adra $2,084
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Adra vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Adra $2,725
  • Nosara $3,818

Adra is about 22% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Adra and Nosara sit above the global median – Adra by 7%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Adra
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.91 €13.27
$12.35 ₡5,539
20.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.41 €40.39
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-25.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.03 €8.92
$7.52 ₡3,373
33.38%
Cappuccino
$2.32 €2.06
$4.41 ₡1,978
-47.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.74 ₡780
27.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.31 ₡587
46.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 €2.91
$3.28 ₡1,471
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.47
$4.47 ₡2,004
-38.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Adra
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.03
$1.56 ₡701
-25.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 €1.21
$3.02 ₡1,355
-54.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 €0.72
$2.51 ₡1,125
-67.73%
Eggs
$2.68 €2.38
$3.57 ₡1,603
-24.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.22 €10.87
$7.43 ₡3,333
64.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.73 €2.43
$10.52 ₡4,717
-74.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.24 €9.99
$13.97 ₡6,265
-19.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$2.35 ₡1,052
-12.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 €0.97
$1.61 ₡720
-31.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 €1.13
$4.80 ₡2,152
-73.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.61 ₡724
31.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 €0.95
$3.80 ₡1,703
-71.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 €1.07
$3.69 ₡1,657
-67.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.13 ₡507
14.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 €0.40
$2.66 ₡1,191
-83.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.03 €5.37
$5.18 ₡2,321
16.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.60 €4.09
$19.88 ₡8,916
-76.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 €0.61
$2.90 ₡1,300
-76.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.17
$3.63 ₡1,626
-63.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Adra
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.60 €1.42
$1.12 ₡504
42.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.99 €29.35
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-54.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 €3.63
$2.14 ₡958
91.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.06 €2.72
$1.57 ₡703
94.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.60 €29.89
$8.52 ₡3,823
294.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.71 €1.52
$1.52 ₡682
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K €17.0K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-11.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.2K €25.9K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-15.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Adra
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$114 €101
$96.3 ₡43.2K
18.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.23 €8.21
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-74.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.32 €19.86
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-58.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Adra
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.03 €39.17
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-38.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.95 €14.19
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-54.31%
Cinema Ticket
$8.80 €7.83
$7.89 ₡3,539
11.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Adra
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 €435
$494 ₡221.6K
-0.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,570 €7,623
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-27.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Adra
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.87 €34.57
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-27.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.14 €29.48
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-40.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.5 €45.77
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-33.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.2 €60.7
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-14.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Adra
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$916 €814
$788 ₡353.4K
16.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$687 €611
$794 ₡356.2K
-13.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,365 €1,214
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-65.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,011 €899
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-28.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,346 €2,976
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-51.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,211 €1,967
$1,224 ₡549.0K
80.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Adra
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,284 €2,032
$864 ₡387.3K
164.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.9
8.62
-66.36%

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

Last update for Adra: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Adra
$687
Nosara
$794 15.6% $107
Eating Out
Adra
$216
Nosara
$212 1.8% $3.9
Groceries & Markets
Adra
$187
Nosara
$352 88.3% $165
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Adra
$145
Nosara
$186 27.8% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Adra
$86
Nosara
$120 39.2% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Adra
$62
Nosara
$87 41.8% $26
Getting Around
Adra
$59
Nosara
$87 48.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Adra versus $788 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 164% higher in Adra, 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 $45.00 in Adra versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $352 – making Adra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Adra
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
02:00 2:00 AM
18:00 6:00 PM
8 h behind Adra
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,195
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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
  • Adra Nosara 8,690 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Adra
  • 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
Adra vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Adra or Nosara?
Nosara costs about 28% more than Adra, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Adra and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,162 per month in Adra and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Adra or Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Adra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Adra and in Nosara?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Adra and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Adra compared to Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,442 in Adra and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 28%.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Adra or in Nosara?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Adra, where all-in costs run around $1,442, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Adra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Adra or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Adra costs $1,442 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Adra compared to Nosara?
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.
Should I move to Adra or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Adra. 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.

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