Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in As-salimiyah: $1,342 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in As-salimiyah
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As-salimiyah Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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As-salimiyah

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,342

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,342 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

As-salimiyah $1,342
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,258 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

As-salimiyah $2,258
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,173 per month in As-salimiyah vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

As-salimiyah $3,173
Nosara $3,818

As-salimiyah is about 27% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

As-salimiyah sits 1% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.26 KWD 3.47

$12.35 ₡5,539

-8.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 KWD 18.03

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-4.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 KWD 2.67

$7.52 ₡3,373

15.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

Cappuccino

$5.05 KWD 1.56

$4.41 ₡1,978

14.51%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 KWD 0.23

$1.74 ₡780

-57.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 KWD 0.10

$1.31 ₡587

-76.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.56 ₡701

-17.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 KWD 0.21

$3.02 ₡1,355

-77.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.58

$2.51 ₡1,125

-25.50%

Eggs

$2.13 KWD 0.66

$3.57 ₡1,603

-40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 KWD 1.36

$7.43 ₡3,333

-40.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.30 KWD 1.63

$10.52 ₡4,717

-49.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 KWD 3.01

$13.97 ₡6,265

-29.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 KWD 0.65

$2.35 ₡1,052

-9.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.61 ₡720

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$4.80 ₡2,152

-74.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.61 ₡724

-6.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$3.80 ₡1,703

-65.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 KWD 0.24

$3.69 ₡1,657

-79.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.13 ₡507

39.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.15

$2.66 ₡1,191

-81.20%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 KWD 0.82

$5.18 ₡2,321

-48.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 KWD 0.26

$1.12 ₡504

-25.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.63 KWD 14.68

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-34.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

$2.14 ₡958

47.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

$1.57 ₡703

106.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.80 KWD 4.87

$8.52 ₡3,823

85.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.52 ₡682

-78.29%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K KWD 6,461

$21.6K ₡9.7M

-2.95%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.4K KWD 6,277

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-40.98%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$31.73 KWD 9.78

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-67.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.57 KWD 6.34

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-42.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 KWD 9.23

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-44.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.9 KWD 30.17

$71.6 ₡32.1K

36.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.5 KWD 19.87

$34.91 ₡15.7K

84.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 KWD 3.45

$7.89 ₡3,539

41.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$276 KWD 84.9

$494 ₡221.6K

-44.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,239 KWD 1,922

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-47.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.85 KWD 11.66

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-29.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 KWD 11.97

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-29.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 KWD 28.04

$77.9 ₡34.9K

16.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.7 KWD 19.63

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 KWD 268

$788 ₡353.4K

10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 KWD 194

$794 ₡356.2K

-20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 KWD 549

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-54.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 KWD 415

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-5.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,752 KWD 848

$864 ₡387.3K

218.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

8.62

-24.25%

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

Last update for As-salimiyah: 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

As-salimiyah

$629 46.9%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 26.2% $165

Eating Out

As-salimiyah

$181 13.5%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 17.1% $31

Groceries & Markets

As-salimiyah

$155 11.6%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 127% $197

Sport & Entertainment

As-salimiyah

$120 9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 27.4% $33

Clothing & Footwear

As-salimiyah

$104 7.8%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 15.3% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

As-salimiyah

$82 6.1%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 126% $103

Getting Around

As-salimiyah

$70 5.2%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 23.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $871 in As-salimiyah 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 219% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $59.0 in As-salimiyah versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $352 – making As-salimiyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇼 As-salimiyah

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:11 10:11 AM

01:11 1:11 AM

9 h behind As-salimiyah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

147,649

4,912

💱 Currency

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 KWD = 3.25 USD

1 KWD = 2.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KWD – Kuwaiti Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇼 Kuwaiti Dinar (د.ك)

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.25 USD). 1 EUR = 0.346 KWD (1 KWD = 2.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to KWD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

As-salimiyah Nosara 13,410 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

As-salimiyah
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

As-salimiyah vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,014 per month in As-salimiyah and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in As-salimiyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,342 in As-salimiyah and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 37%.

Public transport costs about 53% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,342, than in Nosara at $1,839. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with As-salimiyah. 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.