Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-`awabi and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-`awabi: $953 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Al-`awabi
🇴🇲 Oman
$953
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $953 per month in Al-`awabi vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Al-`awabi $953
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Al-`awabi vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Al-`awabi $1,431
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Al-`awabi vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Al-`awabi $1,909
  • Nosara $3,818

Al-`awabi is about 48% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Al-`awabi sits 29% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.06 OMR 1.95
$12.35 ₡5,539
-59.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.93 OMR 14.99
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-36.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.61 OMR 2.93
$7.52 ₡3,373
1.20%
Cappuccino
$5.06 OMR 1.95
$4.41 ₡1,978
14.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 OMR 0.34
$1.74 ₡780
-48.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 OMR 0.10
$1.31 ₡587
-79.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.94 OMR 4.98
$3.28 ₡1,471
294.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.19 OMR 5.08
$4.47 ₡2,004
195.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.27 OMR 0.87
$1.56 ₡701
45.51%
White Bread (500g)
$1.23 OMR 0.47
$3.02 ₡1,355
-59.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.88 OMR 0.72
$2.51 ₡1,125
-25.10%
Eggs
$2.96 OMR 1.14
$3.57 ₡1,603
-17.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 OMR 2.81
$7.43 ₡3,333
-1.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.17 OMR 2.76
$10.52 ₡4,717
-31.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.59 OMR 4.08
$13.97 ₡6,265
-24.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.56 OMR 1.37
$2.35 ₡1,052
51.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 OMR 0.74
$1.61 ₡720
19.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 OMR 0.90
$4.80 ₡2,152
-51.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.28 OMR 0.49
$1.61 ₡724
-20.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 OMR 0.47
$3.80 ₡1,703
-67.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 OMR 0.48
$3.69 ₡1,657
-66.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 OMR 0.72
$1.13 ₡507
65.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 OMR 0.25
$2.66 ₡1,191
-75.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.41 OMR 2.47
$5.18 ₡2,321
23.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.72 OMR 6.05
$19.88 ₡8,916
-20.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$6.06 OMR 2.33
$2.90 ₡1,300
108.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.33 OMR 3.98
$3.63 ₡1,626
184.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡504
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.29 OMR 1.27
$2.14 ₡958
53.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.55 OMR 0.98
$1.57 ₡703
62.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.72 OMR 2.97
$8.52 ₡3,823
-9.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 OMR 0.25
$1.52 ₡682
-57.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K OMR 9,791
$21.6K ₡9.7M
17.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K OMR 8,858
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-33.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 OMR 68.2
$96.3 ₡43.2K
83.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.35 OMR 12.07
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-12.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.0 OMR 27.33
$53.6 ₡24.0K
32.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 OMR 3.98
$7.89 ₡3,539
31.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$286 OMR 110
$494 ₡221.6K
-42.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K OMR 4,032
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-11.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.6 OMR 21.42
$53.9 ₡24.2K
3.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.72 OMR 16.83
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-21.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.5 OMR 34.83
$77.9 ₡34.9K
16.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 OMR 33.41
$79.6 ₡35.7K
9.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$788 ₡353.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$794 ₡356.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Al-`awabi
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
8.62
-39.10%

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

Last update for Al-`awabi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Al-`awabi
$293
Nosara
$352 20.3% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al-`awabi
$279
Nosara
$186 33.5% $94
Eating Out
Al-`awabi
$220
Nosara
$212 3.6% $7.9
Clothing & Footwear
Al-`awabi
$124
Nosara
$120 3.5% $4.4
Sport & Entertainment
Al-`awabi
$21 *
Nosara
$87 322% $67
Getting Around
Al-`awabi
$16 *
Nosara
$87 443% $71
Accommodation & Living
Al-`awabi
- *
Nosara
$794

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Al-`awabi versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $352 – making Al-`awabi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Al-`awabi
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
10:24 10:24 AM
00:24 12:24 AM
10 h behind Al-`awabi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,711
4,912
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Al-`awabi Nosara 14,560 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Al-`awabi
  • 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
Al-`awabi vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Al-`awabi?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,430 per month in Al-`awabi and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Al-`awabi and in Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $953 in Al-`awabi and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 93%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $286 per month in Al-`awabi and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Al-`awabi or in Nosara?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $953, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Al-`awabi or Nosara more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Al-`awabi or 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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Al-`awabi. 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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