Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chios and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Chios: $1,429 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chios
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,429
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,429 per month in Chios vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Chios $1,429
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Chios vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Chios $2,099
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,770 per month in Chios vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Chios $2,770
  • Nosara $3,818

Chios is about 22% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chios and Nosara sit above the global median – Chios by 6%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chios
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.92 €12.38
$12.35 ₡5,539
12.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.95 €39.09
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-28.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.98 €12.44
$7.52 ₡3,373
85.90%
Cappuccino
$3.64 €3.24
$4.41 ₡1,978
-17.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.74 ₡780
35.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.81
$1.31 ₡587
-30.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.51 €4.01
$3.28 ₡1,471
37.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 €3.89
$4.47 ₡2,004
-2.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chios
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.56 ₡701
0.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.02 ₡1,355
-54.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 €2.30
$2.51 ₡1,125
2.79%
Eggs
$4.54 €4.04
$3.57 ₡1,603
27.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.11 €11.66
$7.43 ₡3,333
76.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.76 €8.69
$10.52 ₡4,717
-7.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.93 €12.39
$13.97 ₡6,265
-0.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 €1.98
$2.35 ₡1,052
-5.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 €1.81
$1.61 ₡720
26.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.34 €1.20
$4.80 ₡2,152
-72.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.61 ₡724
23.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$3.80 ₡1,703
-70.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 €0.94
$3.69 ₡1,657
-71.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.13 ₡507
-7.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.76
$2.66 ₡1,191
-68.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.00 €5.33
$5.18 ₡2,321
15.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.06 €6.28
$19.88 ₡8,916
-64.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 €1.76
$2.90 ₡1,300
-31.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 €2.37
$3.63 ₡1,626
-26.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Chios
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.31 €1.16
$1.12 ₡504
16.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.37 €38.57
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-40.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.07 €3.62
$2.14 ₡958
90.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 €1.08
$1.57 ₡703
-22.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.42 €14.61
$8.52 ₡3,823
92.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 €1.84
$1.52 ₡682
36.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.4K €28.0K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
45.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K €19.8K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-35.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chios
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$199 €177
$96.3 ₡43.2K
106.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.12 €17.90
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-43.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.27 €24.26
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-49.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chios
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.7 €46.01
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-27.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.23 €21.55
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-30.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.92 €8.83
$7.89 ₡3,539
25.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chios
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 €384
$494 ₡221.6K
-12.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,719 €5,977
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-43.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chios
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.4 €68.9
$53.9 ₡24.2K
43.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.43 €37.75
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-23.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.9 €70.2
$77.9 ₡34.9K
1.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$79.6 ₡35.7K
47.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chios
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$541 €482
$788 ₡353.4K
-31.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 €349
$794 ₡356.2K
-50.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$688 €612
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-82.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 €491
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-61.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,409 €2,143
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-65.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,499 €2,223
$1,224 ₡549.0K
104.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chios
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.46
8.62
-48.26%

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

Last update for Chios: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chios
$393
Nosara
$794 102% $402
Groceries & Markets
Chios
$276
Nosara
$352 27.7% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chios
$246
Nosara
$186 24.6% $61
Eating Out
Chios
$241
Nosara
$212 12.3% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Chios
$142
Nosara
$120 15.6% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Chios
$72
Nosara
$87 22.1% $16
Getting Around
Chios
$59
Nosara
$87 48.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Chios 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Chios versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $352 – making Chios the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Chios
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
22:02 10:02 PM
13:02 1:02 PM
9 h behind Chios
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
53,408
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Chios Nosara 11,150 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chios
  • 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
Chios vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chios or Nosara?
Nosara costs about 29% more than Chios, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chios and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,144 per month in Chios and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chios or Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chios, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chios and in Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Chios and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chios or in Nosara?
Groceries cost about 28% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chios or in Nosara?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chios, where all-in costs run around $1,429, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Chios it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chios or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chios costs $1,429 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chios compared to 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.
Should I move to Chios or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Chios. 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.

Chios vs other spots: cost of living compared

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