Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alcala de Guadaira and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Alcala de Guadaira: $1,567 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Alcala de Guadaira
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,567
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,567 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Alcala de Guadaira $1,567
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,323 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Alcala de Guadaira $2,323
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,079 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Alcala de Guadaira $3,079
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Alcala de Guadaira costs roughly 15% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alcala de Guadaira 16% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.70 €12.19
$12.35 ₡5,539
10.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.3 €49.16
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-9.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.14 €8.13
$7.52 ₡3,373
21.54%
Cappuccino
$1.88 €1.67
$4.41 ₡1,978
-57.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.74 ₡780
21.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.31 ₡587
16.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 €2.71
$3.28 ₡1,471
-7.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 €3.07
$4.47 ₡2,004
-22.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 €0.99
$1.56 ₡701
-28.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 €1.45
$3.02 ₡1,355
-46.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$2.51 ₡1,125
-45.42%
Eggs
$3.31 €2.95
$3.57 ₡1,603
-7.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.61 €12.10
$7.43 ₡3,333
83.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.52 €7.58
$10.52 ₡4,717
-19.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.77 €14.03
$13.97 ₡6,265
12.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.45 €2.18
$2.35 ₡1,052
4.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.85
$1.61 ₡720
29.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.65
$4.80 ₡2,152
-61.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.48 €2.21
$1.61 ₡724
54.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 €1.60
$3.80 ₡1,703
-52.89%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 €1.83
$3.69 ₡1,657
-44.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.13 ₡507
28.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 €0.65
$2.66 ₡1,191
-72.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.50 €5.78
$5.18 ₡2,321
25.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.87 €5.22
$19.88 ₡8,916
-70.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.02
$2.90 ₡1,300
-60.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.73
$3.63 ₡1,626
-46.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.61 €1.43
$1.12 ₡504
43.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.47 €28.89
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-55.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.69 €1.50
$2.14 ₡958
-21.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.95
$1.57 ₡703
-31.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.36 €11.89
$8.52 ₡3,823
56.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 €1.56
$1.52 ₡682
15.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K €32.0K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
66.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.9K €25.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-16.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 €103
$96.3 ₡43.2K
20.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.02 €14.25
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-55.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.91 €25.71
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-46.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.05 €40.07
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-37.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.81 €14.06
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-54.71%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 €7.02
$7.89 ₡3,539
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$543 €483
$494 ₡221.6K
9.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,094 €7,199
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-31.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.8 €80.8
$53.9 ₡24.2K
68.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.00 €34.69
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-29.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.6 €83.3
$77.9 ₡34.9K
20.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €103
$79.6 ₡35.7K
45.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$894 €795
$788 ₡353.4K
13.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$683 €608
$794 ₡356.2K
-13.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,345 €1,196
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-65.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,021 €908
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-28.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,304 €2,939
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-52.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,229 €1,983
$1,224 ₡549.0K
82.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alcala de Guadaira
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.34
8.62
-61.25%

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

Last update for Alcala de Guadaira: 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
Alcala de Guadaira
$683
Nosara
$794 16.2% $111
Groceries & Markets
Alcala de Guadaira
$267
Nosara
$352 32% $85
Eating Out
Alcala de Guadaira
$196
Nosara
$212 7.9% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcala de Guadaira
$161
Nosara
$186 15.2% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Alcala de Guadaira
$153
Nosara
$120 21.3% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Alcala de Guadaira
$61
Nosara
$87 43.6% $27
Getting Around
Alcala de Guadaira
$46
Nosara
$87 89.6% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $894 in Alcala de Guadaira and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in Alcala de Guadaira vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $352 per month, with Alcala de Guadaira cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Alcala de Guadaira
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
17:14 5:14 PM
09:14 9:14 AM
8 h behind Alcala de Guadaira
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,547
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
  • Alcala de Guadaira Nosara 8,440 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Alcala de Guadaira
  • 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
Alcala de Guadaira vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Alcala de Guadaira and in Nosara?
Alcala de Guadaira and Nosara differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,567 vs $1,839 including rent). Alcala de Guadaira is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Alcala de Guadaira compared to Nosara?
You'd need roughly $2,351 in Alcala de Guadaira 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Alcala de Guadaira and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $894 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Alcala de Guadaira – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,567 in Alcala de Guadaira versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alcala de Guadaira but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Alcala de Guadaira the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Alcala de Guadaira and Nosara?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Alcala de Guadaira or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Alcala de Guadaira 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.
Where should expats move: Alcala de Guadaira or Nosara?
Expats usually find Alcala de Guadaira gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Alcala de Guadaira vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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