Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaunas and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaunas: $1,477 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kaunas
🇱🇹 Lithuania
$1,477
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,477 in Kaunas versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Kaunas $1,477
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,241 in Kaunas versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Kaunas $2,241
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,005 in Kaunas versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Kaunas $3,005
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Kaunas costs roughly 20% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kaunas 10% above, Nosara 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.80 €10.53
$12.22 ₡5,509
-3.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4 €61.1
$60.2 ₡27.1K
13.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.90 €8.84
$7.54 ₡3,399
31.30%
Cappuccino
$3.46 €3.08
$4.31 ₡1,941
-19.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 €2.97
$1.72 ₡773
93.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 €2.87
$1.35 ₡608
138.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.07 €4.52
$3.24 ₡1,459
56.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.89
$4.48 ₡2,018
-2.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.57 ₡707
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 €1.59
$3.17 ₡1,429
-43.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.42 ₡1,091
-8.26%
Eggs
$3.36 €3.00
$3.57 ₡1,609
-5.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 €13.13
$7.43 ₡3,349
97.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.13 €7.25
$10.42 ₡4,697
-21.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.60 €12.14
$13.66 ₡6,156
-0.44%
Apples (1kg)
$1.55 €1.38
$2.32 ₡1,044
-33.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.61 ₡728
-6.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 €1.94
$4.74 ₡2,138
-54.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.33 €2.97
$1.66 ₡747
100.60%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 €0.84
$3.72 ₡1,679
-74.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 €0.87
$3.57 ₡1,611
-72.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.83 €1.63
$1.10 ₡497
66.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.86
$2.55 ₡1,149
-62.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.14 €5.48
$4.95 ₡2,232
24.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 €9.10
$20.01 ₡9,020
-49.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.79 ₡1,256
-37.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.89
$3.53 ₡1,589
-40.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 €0.98
$1.19 ₡537
-8.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.96 €28.52
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-55.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 €1.02
$2.24 ₡1,011
-49.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 €0.77
$1.55 ₡701
-43.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.71 €14.02
$8.86 ₡3,993
77.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.57 ₡708
21.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K €24.0K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
23.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.8K €25.7K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-16.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$203 €181
$93.5 ₡42.1K
116.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.06 €14.34
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-54.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.30 €13.65
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-70.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.92 €29.38
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-53.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.67 €25.59
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-19.10%
Cinema Ticket
$11.99 €10.70
$7.84 ₡3,535
52.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$682 €609
$490 ₡220.7K
39.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,760 €7,818
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-26.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.7 €76.5
$53.5 ₡24.1K
60.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.43 €36.08
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-27.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 €108
$79.3 ₡35.7K
52.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$164 €146
$78.9 ₡35.6K
107.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$627 €560
$786 ₡354.3K
-20.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$438 €391
$780 ₡351.6K
-43.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$929 €829
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-75.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$657 €586
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-53.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,679 €3,283
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-47.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,386 €2,130
$1,201 ₡541.3K
98.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kaunas
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,696 €1,513
$876 ₡395.0K
93.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.05
8.62
-53.02%

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

Last update for Kaunas: October 6, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kaunas
$438
Nosara
$780 78.1% $342
Groceries & Markets
Kaunas
$280
Nosara
$350 24.7% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaunas
$234
Nosara
$180 23.1% $54
Eating Out
Kaunas
$226
Nosara
$209 7.3% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Kaunas
$185
Nosara
$120 34.9% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Kaunas
$57
Nosara
$87 53% $30
Getting Around
Kaunas
$42
Nosara
$87 108% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $627 in Kaunas and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaunas pays 93% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Kaunas vs $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 vs $350, with Kaunas cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇱🇹 Kaunas
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
08:12 8:12 AM
23:12 11:12 PM
9 h behind Kaunas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
315,993
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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
  • Kaunas Nosara 10,310 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kaunas
  • 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
Kaunas vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kaunas or Nosara?
Kaunas wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaunas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Kaunas or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 93% higher in Kaunas, 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 Kaunas compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $627 in Kaunas versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Kaunas and in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Kaunas – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Kaunas compared to Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $1,477 per month in Kaunas versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kaunas or in Nosara?
At $1,477 in Kaunas versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kaunas but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Kaunas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kaunas or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kaunas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,477 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kaunas hard to pass up.
How safe is Kaunas compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Kaunas 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 Kaunas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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