Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilion and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilion: $1,539 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ilion
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,539
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,539 in Ilion versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Ilion $1,539
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,422 in Ilion versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Ilion $2,422
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Ilion versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Ilion $3,306
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Ilion costs roughly 16% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilion 14% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.33 €11.84
$12.35 ₡5,547
7.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6 €51.1
$61.2 ₡27.5K
-5.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.85 €7.86
$7.52 ₡3,377
17.69%
Cappuccino
$4.18 €3.71
$4.41 ₡1,981
-5.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.13
$1.74 ₡781
37.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.52
$1.31 ₡588
-55.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.55 €4.93
$3.28 ₡1,473
69.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48 €4.87
$4.47 ₡2,007
22.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 €1.38
$1.56 ₡702
-0.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.02 ₡1,357
-54.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 €2.40
$2.51 ₡1,127
7.97%
Eggs
$5.22 €4.63
$3.57 ₡1,605
46.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.29 €10.91
$7.43 ₡3,338
65.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.49 €9.32
$10.52 ₡4,724
-0.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.60 €16.52
$13.97 ₡6,274
33.14%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 €1.88
$2.35 ₡1,054
-9.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.61 ₡721
22.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$4.80 ₡2,155
-71.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.86
$1.61 ₡725
30.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 €0.98
$3.80 ₡1,706
-70.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €0.99
$3.69 ₡1,659
-69.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 €0.77
$1.13 ₡507
-23.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.75
$2.66 ₡1,193
-68.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 €4.64
$5.18 ₡2,324
0.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.12 €7.21
$19.88 ₡8,929
-59.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.46
$2.90 ₡1,302
-43.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 €3.03
$3.63 ₡1,628
-6.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.12 ₡505
22.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.37 €39.40
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-38.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.36 €3.87
$2.14 ₡959
103.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 €0.86
$1.57 ₡704
-38.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.68 €12.15
$8.52 ₡3,828
60.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.24 €1.99
$1.52 ₡683
47.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K €25.0K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
30.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K €21.8K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-28.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €180
$96.3 ₡43.2K
110.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.98 €23.07
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-27.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.31 €25.14
$53.6 ₡24.1K
-47.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.8 €45.10
$71.6 ₡32.2K
-29.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.95 €22.16
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-28.53%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 €7.72
$7.89 ₡3,544
10.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$474 €421
$494 ₡221.9K
-4.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,465 €3,965
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-62.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.9 €62.1
$53.9 ₡24.2K
29.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.56 €31.59
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-35.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €91.6
$77.9 ₡35.0K
32.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €94.0
$79.6 ₡35.8K
32.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$588 €522
$788 ₡353.9K
-25.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$484 €430
$794 ₡356.7K
-39.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,166 €1,036
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-70.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$973 €864
$1,419 ₡637.4K
-31.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,627 €3,221
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-47.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,949 €2,619
$1,224 ₡549.8K
140.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ilion
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,262 €1,121
$864 ₡387.8K
46.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.4
8.62
-48.96%

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

Last update for Ilion: 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
Ilion
$484
Nosara
$794 64.1% $310
Groceries & Markets
Ilion
$295
Nosara
$352 19.4% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilion
$257
Nosara
$186 27.8% $71
Eating Out
Ilion
$234
Nosara
$212 9.4% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Ilion
$141
Nosara
$120 15.1% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Ilion
$68
Nosara
$87 28.2% $19
Getting Around
Ilion
$59
Nosara
$87 47.5% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $588 in Ilion and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilion pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Ilion vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $352 per month, with Ilion cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Ilion
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
16:07 4:07 PM
07:07 7:07 AM
9 h behind Ilion
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
84,793
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ilion Nosara 10,970 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ilion
  • 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
Ilion vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ilion and in Nosara?
Ilion and Nosara differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,539 vs $1,839 including rent). Ilion is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Ilion or Nosara?
Average pay runs 46% higher in Ilion, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Ilion and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $588 in Ilion versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ilion and Nosara?
Childcare runs $474 in Ilion versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,539 in Ilion versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ilion but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Ilion the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ilion 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 Ilion or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ilion 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: Ilion or Nosara?
Expats usually find Ilion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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