Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Afula

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,723 in Afula, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Afula
🇮🇱 Israel
$2,723
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Afula

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nosara and in Afula actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,723 in Afula.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Afula $2,723

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $4,065 in Afula.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Afula $4,065

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $5,408 in Afula.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Afula $5,408

Living in Nosara costs roughly 32% less than in Afula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Afula 102% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Afula
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$25.68 ₪79.9
-51.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$90.5 ₪281
-32.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$17.12 ₪53.3
-56.07%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$4.56 ₪14.19
-3.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$3.99 ₪12.40
-56.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$2.77 ₪8.62
-52.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$9.15 ₪28.46
-64.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$6.11 ₪19.00
-26.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Afula
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$2.67 ₪8.32
-41.57%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$3.27 ₪10.17
-7.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$3.32 ₪10.33
-24.40%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$4.51 ₪14.02
-20.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$13.23 ₪41.17
-43.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$19.19 ₪59.7
-45.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$26.34 ₪81.9
-46.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$3.32 ₪10.34
-29.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$2.95 ₪9.17
-45.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.23 ₪6.93
115.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$1.63 ₪5.08
-1.23%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.61 ₪5.00
136.02%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.56 ₪4.86
136.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.95 ₪6.06
-42.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$2.47 ₪7.67
7.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$15.47 ₪48.12
-66.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$12.64 ₪39.33
57.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$4.79 ₪14.91
-39.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$4.08 ₪12.70
-11.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Afula
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$2.59 ₪8.06
-56.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$99.9 ₪311
-27.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$3.96 ₪12.33
-45.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.18 ₪3.68
33.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$19.30 ₪60.0
-55.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.47 ₪7.69
-38.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$57.0K ₪177.3K
-62.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$59.7K ₪185.8K
-42.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Afula
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$277 ₪862
-65.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$11.96 ₪37.22
200.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$26.17 ₪81.4
104.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Afula
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$78.4 ₪244
-8.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$23.19 ₪72.1
50.54%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$12.29 ₪38.23
-35.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Afula
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$1,143 ₪3,555
-56.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$28.3K ₪88.1K
-58.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Afula
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$52.5 ₪163
2.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$64.0 ₪199
-13.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$124 ₪386
-37.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$149 ₪465
-46.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Afula
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$1,470 ₪4,574
-46.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$1,153 ₪3,588
-31.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$2,340 ₪7,281
68.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$1,913 ₪5,953
-25.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$9,416 ₪29.3K
-26.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$8,080 ₪25.1K
-84.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Afula
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$3,283 ₪10.2K
-73.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
4.05
112.84%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Afula: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Afula
$1.2K 45.2% $359
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Afula
$460 30.4% $107
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Afula
$396 87.2% $185
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Afula
$315 69.7% $129
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Afula
$175 46.1% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Afula
$103 17.9% $16
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Afula
$120 37.9% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $1,470 in Afula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Afula pays 280% 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: $61.0 in Nosara vs $90.0 in Afula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $460 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇮🇱 Afula
🕒 Local time
03:31 3:31 AM
12:31 12:31 PM
9 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
53,958
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Afula 12,170 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Afula

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
Nosara vs Afula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Afula?
Nosara and Afula differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $2,723 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 280% lower in Afula. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Afula?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $1,470 in Afula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Afula. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $90.0 in Afula. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,723 in Afula, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Afula. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Afula?
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 Nosara or Afula safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Afula 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: Nosara or Afula?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Afula. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Nosara vs other spots: cost of living compared

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