Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duma and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Duma: $643 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Duma
🇸🇾 Syria
$643
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $643 in Duma versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Duma $643
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,021 in Duma versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Duma $1,021
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,399 in Duma versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Duma $1,399
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Duma costs roughly 65% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Duma is 52% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Duma
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.05 SYP 1,221
$12.35 ₡5,539
-18.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.34 SYP 5,267
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-29.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.16 SYP 870
$7.52 ₡3,373
-4.79%
Cappuccino
$3.74 SYP 454
$4.41 ₡1,978
-15.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 SYP 279
$1.74 ₡780
32.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 SYP 101
$1.31 ₡587
-36.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.04 SYP 248
$3.28 ₡1,471
-37.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10 SYP 499
$4.47 ₡2,004
-8.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Duma
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 SYP 133
$1.56 ₡701
-29.49%
White Bread (500g)
$0.39 SYP 47.33
$3.02 ₡1,355
-87.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 SYP 186
$2.51 ₡1,125
-39.04%
Eggs
$1.63 SYP 198
$3.57 ₡1,603
-54.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.99 SYP 485
$7.43 ₡3,333
-46.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.73 SYP 697
$10.52 ₡4,717
-45.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.60 SYP 1,653
$13.97 ₡6,265
-2.65%
Apples (1kg)
$1.04 SYP 126
$2.35 ₡1,052
-55.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 SYP 167
$1.61 ₡720
-14.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 SYP 138
$4.80 ₡2,152
-76.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.01 SYP 123
$1.61 ₡724
-37.27%
Potato (1kg)
$0.80 SYP 96.9
$3.80 ₡1,703
-78.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 SYP 91.6
$3.69 ₡1,657
-79.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.40 SYP 48.55
$1.13 ₡507
-64.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 SYP 75.5
$2.66 ₡1,191
-76.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.80 SYP 341
$5.18 ₡2,321
-45.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.80 SYP 704
$19.88 ₡8,916
-70.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 SYP 133
$2.90 ₡1,300
-62.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 SYP 346
$3.63 ₡1,626
-21.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Duma
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡504
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.99 SYP 120
$2.14 ₡958
-53.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 SYP 187
$1.57 ₡703
-1.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.87 SYP 956
$8.52 ₡3,823
-7.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.62 SYP 440
$1.52 ₡682
138.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.8K SYP 1.8M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-31.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K SYP 2.3M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-45.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Duma
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$138 SYP 16.8K
$96.3 ₡43.2K
43.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.86 SYP 1,198
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-72.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.47 SYP 5,648
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-13.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Duma
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.47 SYP 665
$7.89 ₡3,539
-30.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Duma
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$65.5 SYP 7,956
$494 ₡221.6K
-86.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,781 SYP 216.5K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-84.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Duma
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.15 SYP 3,421
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-47.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.78 SYP 4,955
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-26.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.0 SYP 7,412
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-21.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.4 SYP 6,969
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-27.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Duma
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$788 ₡353.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$794 ₡356.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Duma
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.25
8.62
65.31%

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

Last update for Duma: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Duma
$194
Nosara
$186 4.3% $8.4
Eating Out
Duma
$178
Nosara
$212 19.3% $34
Groceries & Markets
Duma
$168
Nosara
$352 110% $185
Clothing & Footwear
Duma
$84
Nosara
$120 42.5% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Duma
$11 *
Nosara
$87 699% $76
Getting Around
Duma
$8.7 *
Nosara
$87 905% $78
Accommodation & Living
Duma
- *
Nosara
$794

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Duma vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $352 per month, with Duma cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇾 Duma
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
19:29 7:29 PM
10:29 10:29 AM
9 h behind Duma
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
110,893
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to SYP – Syrian Pound Converter

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 137 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.32 EUR).

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
  • Duma Nosara 12,220 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Duma
  • Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Duma vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Duma or Nosara?
Duma wins on cost – living expenses run 186% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duma the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Duma and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $965 in Duma 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.
Are groceries more expensive in Duma or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Duma compared to Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $643 per month in Duma versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 186% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Duma or in Nosara?
At $643 in Duma versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duma but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Duma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Duma or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Duma delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $643 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duma hard to pass up.
How safe is Duma compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Duma 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 Duma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 186% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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