Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gjilan and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Gjilan: $774 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gjilan
🇽🇰 Kosovo
$774
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Gjilan versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Gjilan $774
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,140 in Gjilan versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Gjilan $1,140
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,507 in Gjilan versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Gjilan $1,507
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Gjilan costs roughly 58% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gjilan is 42% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.13 €3.69
$12.22 ₡5,509
-66.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.81 €20.35
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-62.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.77 €5.15
$7.54 ₡3,399
-23.47%
Cappuccino
$1.36 €1.21
$4.31 ₡1,941
-68.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.72 ₡773
-36.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.78
$1.35 ₡608
-34.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.66 €1.48
$3.24 ₡1,459
-48.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$4.48 ₡2,018
-70.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.57 ₡707
-20.38%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 €0.41
$3.17 ₡1,429
-85.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.29 €1.15
$2.42 ₡1,091
-46.69%
Eggs
$1.86 €1.66
$3.57 ₡1,609
-47.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.81 €6.97
$7.43 ₡3,349
5.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.67 €5.95
$10.42 ₡4,697
-35.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.67 €11.31
$13.66 ₡6,156
-7.25%
Apples (1kg)
$1.57 €1.40
$2.32 ₡1,044
-32.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$1.61 ₡728
-1.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.69 €1.51
$4.74 ₡2,138
-64.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.66 ₡747
-0.60%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 €0.85
$3.72 ₡1,679
-74.19%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 €0.77
$3.57 ₡1,611
-75.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 €0.75
$1.10 ₡497
-23.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 €0.44
$2.55 ₡1,149
-80.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.41 €3.04
$4.95 ₡2,232
-31.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.69 €5.07
$20.01 ₡9,020
-71.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 €0.89
$2.79 ₡1,256
-64.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 €1.13
$3.53 ₡1,589
-64.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.58 €0.52
$1.19 ₡537
-51.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.19 €1.96
$2.24 ₡1,011
-2.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 €0.52
$1.55 ₡701
-61.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 €2.95
$8.86 ₡3,993
-62.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 €1.28
$1.57 ₡708
-8.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K €19.8K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
1.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K €22.9K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-25.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$107 €95.2
$93.5 ₡42.1K
14.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.27 €10.06
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-67.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.50 €20.97
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-54.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.87 €17.73
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-72.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.57 €4.08
$7.84 ₡3,535
-41.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$166 €148
$490 ₡220.7K
-66.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,466 €1,308
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-87.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.41 €37.85
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-20.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.57 €28.17
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-43.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.2 €56.4
$79.3 ₡35.7K
-20.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.9 €71.3
$78.9 ₡35.6K
1.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$278 €248
$786 ₡354.3K
-64.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$228 €204
$780 ₡351.6K
-70.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$479 €428
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-87.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$360 €321
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-74.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$911 €813
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-86.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$700 €624
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-41.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gjilan
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$441 €394
$876 ₡395.0K
-49.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.5
8.62
-47.80%

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

Last update for Gjilan: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gjilan
$228
Nosara
$780 242% $552
Groceries & Markets
Gjilan
$190
Nosara
$350 84.4% $160
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gjilan
$141
Nosara
$180 27.3% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Gjilan
$98
Nosara
$120 23.2% $23
Eating Out
Gjilan
$85
Nosara
$209 145% $124
Sport & Entertainment
Gjilan
$29
Nosara
$87 200% $58
Getting Around
Gjilan
$7.5 *
Nosara
$87 1064% $79

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Gjilan and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 99% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Gjilan vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $350 per month, with Gjilan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇽🇰 Gjilan
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
07:10 7:10 AM
23:10 11:10 PM
8 h behind Gjilan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,239
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gjilan Nosara 10,630 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gjilan
  • 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
Gjilan vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Gjilan and in Nosara?
Gjilan and Nosara differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($774 vs $1,837 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Gjilan and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $278 in Gjilan versus $786 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 84% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Gjilan or Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Gjilan versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $774 in Gjilan versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Gjilan 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 Gjilan or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Gjilan 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: Gjilan or Nosara?
Expats usually find Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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