Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kefalonia and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kefalonia: $1,551 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kefalonia
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,551
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,551 per month in Kefalonia vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Kefalonia $1,551
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $2,322 per month in Kefalonia vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Kefalonia $2,322
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $3,092 per month in Kefalonia vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Kefalonia $3,092
  • Nosara $3,814

Kefalonia is about 16% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kefalonia and Nosara sit above the global median – Kefalonia by 14%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.80 €13.16
$12.34 ₡5,535
19.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.73 €34.45
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-36.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.23 €9.10
$7.76 ₡3,481
31.83%
Cappuccino
$3.14 €2.79
$4.44 ₡1,992
-29.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 €3.06
$1.79 ₡803
92.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 €0.54
$1.29 ₡580
-52.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.68 €4.16
$3.24 ₡1,451
44.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.38 €4.79
$4.43 ₡1,985
21.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 €1.38
$1.55 ₡696
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.39 €1.24
$3.08 ₡1,380
-54.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 €2.30
$2.53 ₡1,133
1.98%
Eggs
$4.69 €4.17
$3.45 ₡1,546
35.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.39 €11.91
$7.32 ₡3,284
82.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.56 €8.51
$10.24 ₡4,594
-6.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.16 €12.59
$14.10 ₡6,326
0.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$2.29 ₡1,027
-4.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.64 ₡737
27.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 €1.22
$4.79 ₡2,149
-71.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.64 ₡735
22.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 €0.99
$3.85 ₡1,727
-70.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$3.75 ₡1,681
-70.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.09 ₡488
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 €0.78
$2.59 ₡1,160
-66.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.26 €4.68
$5.12 ₡2,295
2.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.71 €5.97
$19.92 ₡8,931
-66.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.30
$2.80 ₡1,255
-7.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.25
$3.52 ₡1,580
-28.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.22 ₡549
12.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.22 €40.23
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-38.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.20 €3.73
$2.17 ₡973
93.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.11 €0.99
$1.56 ₡698
-28.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.11 €14.33
$8.67 ₡3,886
85.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.55 ₡697
28.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K €24.6K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-20.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K €22.2K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-35.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$277 €246
$94.8 ₡42.5K
191.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.48 €20.89
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-35.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05 €26.73
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-43.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.7 €45.08
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-31.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.90 €22.15
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-30.12%
Cinema Ticket
$9.15 €8.14
$7.91 ₡3,548
15.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 €380
$490 ₡219.9K
-12.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,666 €6,819
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-35.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$54.8 ₡24.6K
61.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.31 €35.85
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-27.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 €83.5
$80.4 ₡36.0K
16.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$77.9 ₡34.9K
53.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$527 €469
$801 ₡359.1K
-34.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$420 €374
$790 ₡354.1K
-46.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,093 €972
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-72.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$786 €699
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-44.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,638 €2,347
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-62.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,187 €1,946
$1,236 ₡554.3K
76.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kefalonia
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,095 €974
$887 ₡397.6K
23.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.46
8.62
-48.26%

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

Last update for Kefalonia: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kefalonia
$420
Nosara
$790 88% $370
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kefalonia
$330
Nosara
$184 44.3% $146
Groceries & Markets
Kefalonia
$280
Nosara
$350 24.9% $70
Eating Out
Kefalonia
$237
Nosara
$213 10.3% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Kefalonia
$154
Nosara
$121 21.5% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Kefalonia
$69
Nosara
$90 29.9% $21
Getting Around
Kefalonia
$60
Nosara
$89 46.8% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $527 in Kefalonia versus $801 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 23% higher in Kefalonia, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Kefalonia versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $350 – making Kefalonia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Kefalonia
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
20:51 8:51 PM
11:51 11:51 AM
9 h behind Kefalonia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
36,404
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Kefalonia Nosara 10,700 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kefalonia
  • 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
Kefalonia vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kefalonia or Nosara?
Nosara costs about 18% more than Kefalonia, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kefalonia and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,326 per month in Kefalonia and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kefalonia or Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kefalonia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Kefalonia and in Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Kefalonia and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Kefalonia or in Nosara?
Groceries cost about 25% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kefalonia or in Nosara?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kefalonia, where all-in costs run around $1,551, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Kefalonia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kefalonia or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kefalonia costs $1,551 versus $1,835 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Kefalonia compared to Nosara?
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.
Should I move to Kefalonia or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Kefalonia. 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.

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