Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Al-birah
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Nosara Living Index89Cost of Living Index in NosaraLearn more -
Al-birah Living Index56Cost of Living Index in Al-birahLearn more
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.22 ₡5,509
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Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 ₡27.1K
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Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 ₡3,399
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Cappuccino
$4.31 ₡1,941
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Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡773
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Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 ₡608
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Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,459
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Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 ₡2,018
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🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡707
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White Bread (500g)
$3.17 ₡1,429
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Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₡1,091
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Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,609
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Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,349
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Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.42 ₡4,697
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Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.66 ₡6,156
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Apples (1kg)
$2.32 ₡1,044
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Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡728
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Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 ₡2,138
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Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 ₡747
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Potato (1kg)
$3.72 ₡1,679
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Onion (1kg)
$3.57 ₡1,611
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Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ₡497
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Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 ₡1,149
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Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.95 ₡2,232
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Wine (Bottle)
$20.01 ₡9,020
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Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₡1,256
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Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₡1,589
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🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 ₡537
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Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.1 ₡32.5K
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Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 ₡1,011
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Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.55 ₡701
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Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 ₡3,993
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Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$2.84 ₪8.68
-44.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₡9.8M
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Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
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🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.5 ₡42.1K
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SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.11 ₡15.8K
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Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.5 ₡23.2K
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🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 ₡32.2K
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Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.44 ₡16.0K
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Cinema Ticket
$7.84 ₡3,535
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🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡220.7K
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International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.4M
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👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₡24.1K
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Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.1K
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Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 ₡35.7K
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Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 ₡35.6K
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🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$786 ₡354.3K
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1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$780 ₡351.6K
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3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,860 ₡1.7M
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3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 ₡634.4K
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Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,972 ₡3.1M
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Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,201 ₡541.3K
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💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Al-birah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 ₡395.0K
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20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
0
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CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026
Last update for Al-birah: October 6, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara $780 43%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Groceries & Markets
Nosara $350 19.3%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Eating Out
Nosara $209 11.6%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara $180 9.9%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara $120 6.6%
Al-birah - * 100% 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara $87 4.8%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Getting Around
Nosara $87 4.8%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara $1.4K 37.2%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Groceries & Markets
Nosara $784 20.7%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Eating Out
Nosara $724 19.1%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara $215 5.7%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara $267 7.1%
Al-birah - * 100% 100%
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara $210 5.5%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Getting Around
Nosara $176 4.7%
Al-birah - * 0% 100%
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇵🇸 Al-birah
Weather
Population
4,912
38,192
Exchange rates and currency converter
On the map
Lowest
Highest
Between locations
- Nosara Al-birah 12,200 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
- Nosara
- Al-birah
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 Al-birah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where should families live: Nosara or Al-birah?
Families tend to lean toward Al-birah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Nosara or Al-birah safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Nosara and Al-birah?
If budget matters most, go with Al-birah. 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.
Nosara vs other spots: cost of living compared
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
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/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,203
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$906
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,348
/mo nomad
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