Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gonbad-e Kavus and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Gonbad-e Kavus: $508 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Gonbad-e Kavus
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Gonbad-e Kavus Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Gonbad-e Kavus

🇮🇷 Iran

$508

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $508 per month in Gonbad-e Kavus vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Gonbad-e Kavus $508
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $817 per month in Gonbad-e Kavus vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Gonbad-e Kavus $817
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,127 per month in Gonbad-e Kavus vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Gonbad-e Kavus $1,127
Nosara $3,818

Gonbad-e Kavus is about 72% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Gonbad-e Kavus sits 62% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.55 $2.55

$12.35 ₡5,539

-79.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.73 $16.73

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-72.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 $3.92

$7.52 ₡3,373

-47.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.65 $0.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

Cappuccino

$1.09 $1.09

$4.41 ₡1,978

-75.28%

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

$0.55 $0.55

$1.74 ₡780

-68.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.31 ₡587

-24.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$1.56 ₡701

-58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 $0.49

$3.02 ₡1,355

-83.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.51 ₡1,125

-19.92%

Eggs

$1.18 $1.18

$3.57 ₡1,603

-66.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$7.43 ₡3,333

-39.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$10.52 ₡4,717

-67.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$13.97 ₡6,265

-25.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.35 ₡1,052

-54.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.61 ₡720

-3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 $0.82

$4.80 ₡2,152

-82.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 $0.56

$1.61 ₡724

-65.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 $0.54

$3.80 ₡1,703

-85.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 $0.50

$3.69 ₡1,657

-86.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 $0.56

$1.13 ₡507

-50.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 $0.28

$2.66 ₡1,191

-89.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.78 $0.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 $2.53

$5.18 ₡2,321

-51.16%

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)

$0.17 $0.17

$1.12 ₡504

-84.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.54 $8.54

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-88.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 $0.41

$2.14 ₡958

-80.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.57 ₡703

-83.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$8.52 ₡3,823

-69.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.09 $0.09

$1.52 ₡682

-94.08%

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

$50.5K $50.5K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

133.92%

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

$42.1K $42.1K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

22.08%

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

$12.91 $12.91

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-86.59%

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

$1.58 $1.58

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-95.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.27 $3.27

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-93.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.23 $18.23

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-74.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.53 $13.53

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-61.24%

Cinema Ticket

$1.84 $1.84

$7.89 ₡3,539

-76.68%

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

$112 $112

$494 ₡221.6K

-77.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,393 $2,393

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-79.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.81 $22.81

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-57.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 $32.18

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$77.9 ₡34.9K

18.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 $64.4

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 $259

$788 ₡353.4K

-67.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 $195

$794 ₡356.2K

-75.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 $809

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-79.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 $349

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-75.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,163 $1,163

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-83.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 $545

$1,224 ₡549.0K

-55.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

8.62

181.90%

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

Last update for Gonbad-e Kavus: 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

Gonbad-e Kavus

$195 38.4%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 307% $599

Groceries & Markets

Gonbad-e Kavus

$115 22.7%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 206% $237

Clothing & Footwear

Gonbad-e Kavus

$95 18.8%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 25.9% $25

Eating Out

Gonbad-e Kavus

$51 10.1%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 312% $160

Sport & Entertainment

Gonbad-e Kavus

$22 4.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 299% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gonbad-e Kavus

$18 3.5%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 947% $168

Getting Around

Gonbad-e Kavus

$11 2.2%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 696% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Gonbad-e Kavus 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 $17.00 in Gonbad-e Kavus versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $352 – making Gonbad-e Kavus the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Gonbad-e Kavus

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

08:09 8:09 AM

22:39 10:39 PM

9 h 30 min behind Gonbad-e Kavus

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

151,910

4,912

💱 Currency

USD USD

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Gonbad-e Kavus Nosara 13,360 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Gonbad-e Kavus
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

Gonbad-e Kavus vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 262%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $761 per month in Gonbad-e Kavus 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 Gonbad-e Kavus, 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 $508 in Gonbad-e Kavus and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 262%.

Public transport costs about 751% less in Gonbad-e Kavus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gonbad-e Kavus, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Gonbad-e Kavus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gonbad-e Kavus – 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 Gonbad-e Kavus. 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.