Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arta and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Arta: $1,356 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Arta
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,356
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,356 per month in Arta vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Arta $1,356
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,017 per month in Arta vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Arta $2,017
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,678 per month in Arta vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Arta $2,678
  • Nosara $3,818

Arta is about 26% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Arta and Nosara sit above the global median – Arta by 0%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arta
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.26 €10.04
$12.35 ₡5,547
-8.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.58 €39.75
$61.2 ₡27.5K
-27.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.88 €8.81
$7.52 ₡3,377
31.38%
Cappuccino
$4.08 €3.64
$4.41 ₡1,981
-7.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.60
$1.74 ₡781
67.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.52
$1.31 ₡588
-55.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.35 €4.77
$3.28 ₡1,473
63.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.32 €5.64
$4.47 ₡2,007
41.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arta
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.56 ₡702
-19.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.09 €0.97
$3.02 ₡1,357
-63.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 €0.83
$2.51 ₡1,127
-62.95%
Eggs
$3.36 €3.00
$3.57 ₡1,605
-5.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.49 €12.02
$7.43 ₡3,338
81.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.37 €10.14
$10.52 ₡4,724
8.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.11 €9.90
$13.97 ₡6,274
-20.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.02 €0.91
$2.35 ₡1,054
-56.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 €1.11
$1.61 ₡721
-22.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.26 €1.12
$4.80 ₡2,155
-73.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.02 €0.91
$1.61 ₡725
-36.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 €1.11
$3.80 ₡1,706
-67.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 €0.98
$3.69 ₡1,659
-70.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 €0.67
$1.13 ₡507
-33.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.19 €0.17
$2.66 ₡1,193
-92.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.00 €4.46
$5.18 ₡2,324
-3.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.39 €3.92
$19.88 ₡8,929
-77.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$2.90 ₡1,302
-68.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.97
$3.63 ₡1,628
-39.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Arta
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 €1.09
$1.12 ₡505
8.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.83 €44.43
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-31.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 €3.64
$2.14 ₡959
91.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.57 ₡704
-30.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.83 €15.00
$8.52 ₡3,828
97.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.52 ₡683
31.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
30.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K €27.8K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-9.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arta
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 €191
$96.3 ₡43.2K
121.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.88 €20.40
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-36.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.68 €22.00
$53.6 ₡24.1K
-53.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arta
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.74 €41.67
$71.6 ₡32.2K
-34.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.30 €22.56
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-27.53%
Cinema Ticket
$10.15 €9.05
$7.89 ₡3,544
28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arta
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$481 €429
$494 ₡221.9K
-2.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,156 €8,163
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-22.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arta
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1 €80.3
$53.9 ₡24.2K
66.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.47 €24.49
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-50.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 €69.4
$77.9 ₡35.0K
-0.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.8 €81.0
$79.6 ₡35.8K
14.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arta
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$479 €427
$788 ₡353.9K
-39.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$389 €347
$794 ₡356.7K
-51.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €660
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-81.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 €555
$1,419 ₡637.4K
-56.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,655 €2,367
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-61.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,922 €1,713
$1,224 ₡549.8K
56.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arta
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$892 €795
$864 ₡387.8K
3.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.34
8.62
-38.05%

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

Last update for Arta: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Arta
$389
Nosara
$794 104% $405
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arta
$261
Nosara
$186 28.9% $76
Groceries & Markets
Arta
$223
Nosara
$352 58% $129
Eating Out
Arta
$222
Nosara
$212 4.6% $10
Clothing & Footwear
Arta
$129
Nosara
$120 6.7% $8.7
Sport & Entertainment
Arta
$67
Nosara
$87 30.3% $20
Getting Around
Arta
$64
Nosara
$87 35.6% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $479 in Arta 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 3% higher in Arta, 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 Arta versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $352 – making Arta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Arta
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
15:16 3:16 PM
06:16 6:16 AM
9 h behind Arta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,435
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Arta Nosara 10,700 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Arta
  • 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
Arta vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Arta?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,033 per month in Arta and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Arta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Arta and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Arta and in Nosara?
Groceries cost about 58% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Arta or in Nosara?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Arta, where all-in costs run around $1,356, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Arta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Arta or Nosara more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Arta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Arta 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 Arta. 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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