Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ha'il: $1,040 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ha'il
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,040
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,040 in Ha'il versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Ha'il $1,040
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Ha'il versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Ha'il $1,589
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,139 in Ha'il versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Ha'il $2,139
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Ha'il costs roughly 43% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ha'il is 23% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.47 SAR 20.52
$12.35 ₡5,539
-55.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.36 SAR 140
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-38.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.88 SAR 22.05
$7.52 ₡3,373
-21.81%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.18 SAR 4.43
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 SAR 8.73
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.60 SAR 9.76
$4.41 ₡1,978
-41.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 SAR 2.29
$1.74 ₡780
-64.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 SAR 0.90
$1.31 ₡587
-81.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.28 ₡1,471
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.47 ₡2,004
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 SAR 6.47
$1.56 ₡701
10.26%
White Bread (500g)
$0.84 SAR 3.17
$3.02 ₡1,355
-72.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 SAR 6.87
$2.51 ₡1,125
-27.09%
Eggs
$1.88 SAR 7.05
$3.57 ₡1,603
-47.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.81 SAR 25.56
$7.43 ₡3,333
-8.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.52 SAR 31.96
$10.52 ₡4,717
-19.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.55 SAR 32.10
$13.97 ₡6,265
-38.80%
Apples (1kg)
$1.57 SAR 5.88
$2.35 ₡1,052
-33.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 SAR 5.91
$1.61 ₡720
-1.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 SAR 4.90
$4.80 ₡2,152
-72.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 SAR 7.61
$1.61 ₡724
26.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 SAR 4.95
$3.80 ₡1,703
-65.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 SAR 6.06
$3.69 ₡1,657
-56.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 SAR 4.60
$1.13 ₡507
8.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 SAR 1.83
$2.66 ₡1,191
-81.58%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.02 SAR 11.35
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 SAR 6.56
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 SAR 7.65
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.73 SAR 25.25
$5.18 ₡2,321
29.92%
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
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.05 SAR 3.93
$1.12 ₡504
-6.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.18 SAR 136
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-50.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 SAR 10.07
$2.14 ₡958
25.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.88 SAR 7.06
$1.57 ₡703
19.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.58 SAR 50.9
$8.52 ₡3,823
59.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.61 SAR 2.27
$1.52 ₡682
-59.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.7K SAR 167.8K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
106.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.6K SAR 81.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-37.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.7 SAR 198
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-45.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.32 SAR 80.0
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-40.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.59 SAR 179
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-11.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.4 SAR 253
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-5.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.99 SAR 101
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-22.69%
Cinema Ticket
$14.85 SAR 55.7
$7.89 ₡3,539
88.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$414 SAR 1,554
$494 ₡221.6K
-16.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,887 SAR 29.6K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-33.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.06 SAR 162
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-20.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.6 SAR 205
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-1.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.6 SAR 363
$77.9 ₡34.9K
23.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.9 SAR 330
$79.6 ₡35.7K
10.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$245 SAR 918
$788 ₡353.4K
-68.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$366 SAR 1,373
$794 ₡356.2K
-53.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$362 SAR 1,359
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-90.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$566 SAR 2,123
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-60.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,369 SAR 8,890
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-65.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,359 SAR 5,099
$1,224 ₡549.0K
11.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ha'il
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,087 SAR 4,080
$864 ₡387.3K
25.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.54
8.62
-35.73%

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

Last update for Ha'il: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ha'il
$366
Nosara
$794 117% $428
Groceries & Markets
Ha'il
$180
Nosara
$352 95.9% $172
Clothing & Footwear
Ha'il
$127
Nosara
$120 5.4% $6.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ha'il
$122
Nosara
$186 52.8% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Ha'il
$97
Nosara
$87 10% $9.7
Eating Out
Ha'il
$96
Nosara
$212 121% $116
Getting Around
Ha'il
$52
Nosara
$87 66% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Ha'il and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ha'il pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Ha'il vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $352 per month, with Ha'il cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇦 Ha'il
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
21:11 9:11 PM
12:11 12:11 PM
9 h behind Ha'il
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
310,897
4,912
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ha'il Nosara 12,980 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ha'il
  • 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
Ha'il vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ha'il or Nosara?
Ha'il wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ha'il the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ha'il or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 26% higher in Ha'il, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ha'il compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $245 in Ha'il versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ha'il and in Nosara?
Childcare runs $414 in Ha'il versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ha'il or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ha'il or in Nosara?
At $1,040 in Ha'il versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ha'il but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Ha'il the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ha'il or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ha'il delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,040 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ha'il hard to pass up.
How safe is Ha'il compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Ha'il 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 Ha'il gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ha'il vs other spots: cost of living compared

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