Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaganda and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaganda: $926 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Karaganda
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Karaganda Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Karaganda

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$926

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $926 per month in Karaganda vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Karaganda $926
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,492 per month in Karaganda vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Karaganda $1,492
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,058 per month in Karaganda vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Karaganda $2,058
Nosara $3,818

Karaganda is about 50% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Karaganda sits 31% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 ₸4,452

$12.35 ₡5,539

-20.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 ₸15.9K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-42.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 ₸2,453

$7.52 ₡3,373

-27.79%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ₸869

$4.41 ₡1,978

-56.46%

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

$0.91 ₸413

$1.74 ₡780

-47.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸290

$1.31 ₡587

-51.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₸617

$3.28 ₡1,471

-58.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₸1,267

$4.47 ₡2,004

-37.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ₸605

$1.56 ₡701

-14.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₸222

$3.02 ₡1,355

-83.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ₸597

$2.51 ₡1,125

-47.41%

Eggs

$1.79 ₸808

$3.57 ₡1,603

-49.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 ₸5,929

$7.43 ₡3,333

76.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 ₸2,442

$10.52 ₡4,717

-48.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 ₸5,060

$13.97 ₡6,265

-19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 ₸673

$2.35 ₡1,052

-36.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₸856

$1.61 ₡720

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 ₸1,299

$4.80 ₡2,152

-40.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₸979

$1.61 ₡724

34.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₸301

$3.80 ₡1,703

-82.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₸267

$3.69 ₡1,657

-84.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₸467

$1.13 ₡507

-8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₸310

$2.66 ₡1,191

-74.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 ₸1,016

$5.18 ₡2,321

-56.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 ₸3,813

$19.88 ₡8,916

-57.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₸610

$2.90 ₡1,300

-53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₸957

$3.63 ₡1,626

-41.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸94.9

$1.12 ₡504

-81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.75 ₸7,119

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-78.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 ₸568

$2.14 ₡958

-41.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ₸541

$1.57 ₡703

-23.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ₸1,496

$8.52 ₡3,823

-61.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 ₸254

$1.52 ₡682

-63.16%

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

$22.0K ₸10.0M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

2.04%

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

$31.9K ₸14.4M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-7.45%

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

$72.2 ₸32.7K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-24.98%

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

$10.01 ₸4,523

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.86 ₸5,360

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-77.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.00 ₸20.8K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-35.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ₸8,505

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-46.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 ₸2,416

$7.89 ₡3,539

-32.32%

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

$135 ₸60.8K

$494 ₡221.6K

-72.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₸26.6K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 ₸26.1K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

4.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 ₸35.8K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 ₸38.7K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₸178.2K

$788 ₡353.4K

-49.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₸123.2K

$794 ₡356.2K

-65.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₸333.5K

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-81.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₸242.3K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-62.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 ₸476.1K

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-84.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 ₸321.5K

$1,224 ₡549.0K

-41.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$569 ₸257.3K

$864 ₡387.3K

-34.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

8.62

123.32%

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

Last update for Karaganda: 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

Karaganda

$273 29.5%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 191% $522

Groceries & Markets

Karaganda

$215 23.2%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 63.7% $137

Eating Out

Karaganda

$137 14.8%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 54.9% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Karaganda

$127 13.7%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 5.1% $6.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karaganda

$94 10.2%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 97.4% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Karaganda

$57 6.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 54.1% $31

Getting Around

Karaganda

$24 2.6%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 266% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Karaganda 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.

Salaries run about 52% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Karaganda versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $352 – making Karaganda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Karaganda

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

06:48 6:48 AM

18:48 6:48 PM

12 h behind Karaganda

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

520,486

4,912

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karaganda Nosara 13,050 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Karaganda
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

Karaganda vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $926 in Karaganda, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 99% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,389 per month in Karaganda 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 Karaganda, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 361% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Karaganda and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $926, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $926 in Karaganda to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Karaganda. 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.