Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibb and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibb: $897 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ibb
🇾🇪 Yemen
$897
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $897 in Ibb versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Ibb $897
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,452 in Ibb versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Ibb $1,452
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,008 in Ibb versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Ibb $2,008
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Ibb costs roughly 51% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibb is 33% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.26 YER 1,475
$12.22 ₡5,509
-48.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.41 YER 4,576
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-67.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.87 YER 2,092
$7.54 ₡3,399
17.64%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.05 YER 484
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 YER 605
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.75 YER 885
$4.31 ₡1,941
-12.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 YER 277
$1.72 ₡773
-31.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 YER 113
$1.35 ₡608
-64.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.24 ₡1,459
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.48 ₡2,018
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 YER 473
$1.57 ₡707
28.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.02 YER 240
$3.17 ₡1,429
-67.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 YER 492
$2.42 ₡1,091
-14.05%
Eggs
$3.60 YER 850
$3.57 ₡1,609
0.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.13 YER 3,332
$7.43 ₡3,349
90.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.44 YER 1,990
$10.42 ₡4,697
-19.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.96 YER 4,470
$13.66 ₡6,156
38.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.45 YER 814
$2.32 ₡1,044
48.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.05 YER 246
$1.61 ₡728
-34.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.16 YER 509
$4.74 ₡2,138
-54.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.73 YER 407
$1.66 ₡747
4.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 YER 346
$3.72 ₡1,679
-60.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 YER 322
$3.57 ₡1,611
-61.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 YER 205
$1.10 ₡497
-20.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 YER 160
$2.55 ₡1,149
-73.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.52 YER 594
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 YER 424
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 YER 609
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.89 YER 918
$4.95 ₡2,232
-21.41%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$20.01 ₡9,020
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.79 ₡1,256
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.53 ₡1,589
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.19 ₡537
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.13 YER 503
$2.24 ₡1,011
-4.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.56 YER 604
$1.55 ₡701
65.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.20 YER 1,698
$8.86 ₡3,993
-18.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 YER 487
$1.57 ₡708
31.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.8K YER 4.0M
$21.8K ₡9.8M
-23.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K YER 8.1M
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-0.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.5 YER 14.7K
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-33.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.18 YER 3,816
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-53.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.80 YER 7,026
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-42.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.10 YER 1,439
$7.84 ₡3,535
-22.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$25.06 YER 5,908
$490 ₡220.7K
-94.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,150 YER 507.0K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-81.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.77 YER 7,021
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-44.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$121 YER 28.5K
$55.8 ₡25.1K
116.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$47.55 YER 11.2K
$79.3 ₡35.7K
-40.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.23 YER 9,486
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-48.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$315 YER 74.4K
$786 ₡354.3K
-59.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$251 YER 59.2K
$780 ₡351.6K
-67.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$755 YER 177.9K
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-80.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$635 YER 149.7K
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-54.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ibb
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$365 YER 86.1K
$876 ₡395.0K
-58.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.25
8.62
30.51%

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

Last update for Ibb: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ibb
$254
Nosara
$350 37.6% $95
Accommodation & Living
Ibb
$251
Nosara
$780 211% $529
Eating Out
Ibb
$128
Nosara
$209 63.2% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ibb
$108
Nosara
$180 66% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Ibb
$107
Nosara
$120 12.2% $13
Getting Around
Ibb
$15 *
Nosara
$87 481% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Ibb
$12 *
Nosara
$87 613% $75

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 $315 in Ibb and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 140% 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: $19.00 in Ibb vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $350 per month, with Ibb cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇾🇪 Ibb
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
06:49 6:49 AM
21:49 9:49 PM
9 h behind Ibb
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
208,844
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to YER – Yemeni Rial Converter

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 264 YER (1,000 YER = 3.78 EUR).

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
  • Ibb Nosara 13,870 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ibb
  • 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
Ibb vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Ibb?
Ibb is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ibb or Nosara?
On paper, salaries run 140% 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.
What is the rent difference between Ibb and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $315 in Ibb versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Ibb and in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Ibb and in Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $897 per month in Ibb versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ibb or in Nosara?
At $897 in Ibb versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibb but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Ibb the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ibb or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Ibb is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ibb or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Ibb 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ibb gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ibb vs other spots: cost of living compared

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