Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Budayyi and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Budayyi: $125 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Al Budayyi
🇧🇭 Bahrain
$125
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $125 in Al Budayyi versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Al Budayyi $125
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $135 in Al Budayyi versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Al Budayyi $135
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $144 in Al Budayyi versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Al Budayyi $144
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Al Budayyi costs roughly 93% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Budayyi is 91% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$12.35 ₡5,547
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$61.2 ₡27.5K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$7.52 ₡3,377
-
Cappuccino
-
$4.41 ₡1,981
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.74 ₡781
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.31 ₡588
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.28 ₡1,473
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.47 ₡2,007
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.56 ₡702
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$3.02 ₡1,357
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$2.51 ₡1,127
-
Eggs
-
$3.57 ₡1,605
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$7.43 ₡3,338
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$10.52 ₡4,724
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.97 ₡6,274
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.35 ₡1,054
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.61 ₡721
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$4.80 ₡2,155
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$1.61 ₡725
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$3.80 ₡1,706
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$3.69 ₡1,659
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.13 ₡507
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.66 ₡1,193
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$5.18 ₡2,324
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$19.88 ₡8,929
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.90 ₡1,302
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.63 ₡1,628
-
🚌 Getting Around
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡505
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.14 ₡959
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.57 ₡704
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.52 ₡3,828
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.52 ₡683
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.81 BHD 7.48
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-44.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$105 BHD 39.57
$53.6 ₡24.1K
95.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$7.89 ₡3,544
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$494 ₡221.9K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$77.9 ₡35.0K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$79.6 ₡35.8K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$788 ₡353.9K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$794 ₡356.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,419 ₡637.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Al Budayyi
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
8.62
-

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

Last update for Al Budayyi: 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
Al Budayyi
–
Nosara
$794
Groceries & Markets
Al Budayyi
–
Nosara
$352
Eating Out
Al Budayyi
–
Nosara
$212
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Budayyi
–
Nosara
$186
Clothing & Footwear
Al Budayyi
–
Nosara
$120
Sport & Entertainment
Al Budayyi
–
Nosara
$87
Getting Around
Al Budayyi
–
Nosara
$87
Good to know
🇧🇭 Al Budayyi
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
03:47 3:47 AM
18:47 6:47 PM
9 h behind Al Budayyi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
💱 Currency
Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BHD – Bahraini Dinar Converter

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 0.377 BHD (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). 1 EUR = 0.422 BHD (1 BHD = 2.37 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Al Budayyi Nosara 13,800 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Al Budayyi
  • 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 Budayyi vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Al Budayyi or Nosara?
Al Budayyi wins on cost – living expenses run 1375% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Budayyi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Al Budayyi and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $187 in Al Budayyi and $2,758 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Al Budayyi or in Nosara?
At $125 in Al Budayyi versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Budayyi but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Al Budayyi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Al Budayyi or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Al Budayyi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $125 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Budayyi hard to pass up.
How safe is Al Budayyi compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Al Budayyi 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Al Budayyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1375% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Al Budayyi vs other spots: cost of living compared

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