Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lucknow and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucknow: $373 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lucknow
🇮🇳 India
$373
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $373 in Lucknow versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Lucknow $373
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $573 in Lucknow versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Lucknow $573
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $773 in Lucknow versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Lucknow $773
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Lucknow costs roughly 80% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lucknow is 72% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.84 ₹178
$12.22 ₡5,509
-84.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.53 ₹1,019
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-82.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.15 ₹305
$7.54 ₡3,399
-58.22%
Cappuccino
$1.58 ₹153
$4.31 ₡1,941
-63.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹35.52
$1.72 ₡773
-78.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 ₹12.36
$1.35 ₡608
-90.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.53 ₹148
$3.24 ₡1,459
-52.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 ₹226
$4.48 ₡2,018
-47.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.70 ₹68.2
$1.57 ₡707
-55.41%
White Bread (500g)
$0.44 ₹42.49
$3.17 ₡1,429
-86.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.58 ₹56.4
$2.42 ₡1,091
-76.03%
Eggs
$0.98 ₹95.1
$3.57 ₡1,609
-72.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.39 ₹328
$7.43 ₡3,349
-54.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.56 ₹248
$10.42 ₡4,697
-75.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.66 ₡6,156
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.74 ₹168
$2.32 ₡1,044
-25.00%
Banana (1kg)
$0.62 ₹60.4
$1.61 ₡728
-61.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.94 ₹90.6
$4.74 ₡2,138
-80.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.50 ₹48.57
$1.66 ₡747
-69.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.31 ₹30.34
$3.72 ₡1,679
-91.67%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 ₹42.54
$3.57 ₡1,611
-87.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.44 ₹42.93
$1.10 ₡497
-60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ₹28.85
$2.55 ₡1,149
-88.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.00 ₹484
$4.95 ₡2,232
1.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.39 ₹812
$20.01 ₡9,020
-58.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₹160
$2.79 ₡1,256
-40.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 ₹245
$3.53 ₡1,589
-28.33%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.44 ₹526
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.44 ₹42.58
$1.19 ₡537
-63.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.07 ₹491
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-92.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.95 ₹91.8
$2.24 ₡1,011
-57.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 ₹19.34
$1.55 ₡701
-87.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ₹113
$8.86 ₡3,993
-86.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ₹108
$1.57 ₡708
-29.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.7K ₹1.2M
$21.8K ₡9.8M
-41.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5K ₹2.1M
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-37.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.6 ₹5,089
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-43.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.67 ₹355
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-89.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.40 ₹813
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-83.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.82 ₹1,531
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-77.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.69 ₹647
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-81.12%
Cinema Ticket
$3.02 ₹292
$7.84 ₡3,535
-61.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$39.14 ₹3,788
$490 ₡220.7K
-92.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$965 ₹93.4K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-91.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.94 ₹2,220
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-57.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.48 ₹2,370
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-56.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$38.47 ₹3,723
$79.3 ₡35.7K
-51.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$25.68 ₹2,486
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-67.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$125 ₹12.1K
$786 ₡354.3K
-84.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$72.3 ₹6,994
$780 ₡351.6K
-90.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$349 ₹33.8K
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-90.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$174 ₹16.8K
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-87.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,268 ₹122.7K
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-81.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$544 ₹52.6K
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-54.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lucknow
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$332 ₹32.1K
$876 ₡395.0K
-62.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.53
8.62
-1.04%

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

Last update for Lucknow: 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
Lucknow
$97
Nosara
$350 262% $253
Accommodation & Living
Lucknow
$72
Nosara
$780 979% $708
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lucknow
$65
Nosara
$180 179% $115
Eating Out
Lucknow
$57
Nosara
$209 264% $152
Clothing & Footwear
Lucknow
$50
Nosara
$120 140% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Lucknow
$22
Nosara
$87 299% $65
Getting Around
Lucknow
$8.8
Nosara
$87 889% $78

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Lucknow and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 164% 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: $11.00 in Lucknow vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $350 per month, with Lucknow cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Lucknow
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
15:54 3:54 PM
04:24 4:24 AM
11 h 30 min behind Lucknow
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,588,455
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 108 INR (1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lucknow Nosara 15,670 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lucknow
  • 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
Lucknow vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Lucknow?
Lucknow is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 393% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Lucknow or Nosara?
On paper, salaries run 164% 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 Lucknow and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $125 in Lucknow versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Lucknow or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Lucknow – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Lucknow and in Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $373 per month in Lucknow versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 393% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lucknow or in Nosara?
At $373 in Lucknow versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lucknow but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Lucknow the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lucknow or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Lucknow 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, Lucknow or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Lucknow 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 Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 393% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lucknow vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?