Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Al Kazimiyah

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah: $663 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Al Kazimiyah
🇮🇶 Iraq
$663
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Al Kazimiyah

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 Al Kazimiyah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $663 in Al Kazimiyah.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Al Kazimiyah $663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $1,020 in Al Kazimiyah.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Al Kazimiyah $1,020

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,377 in Al Kazimiyah.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Al Kazimiyah $1,377

Living in Nosara is roughly 178% more expensive than in Al Kazimiyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Al Kazimiyah is 51% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$4.03 IQD 6,085
206.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$20.21 IQD 30.5K
202.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$6.52 IQD 9,857
15.34%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$2.65 IQD 4,012
66.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$0.37 IQD 558
370.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$0.19 IQD 280
589.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$3.19 IQD 4,820
2.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$3.00 IQD 4,535
49.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.15 IQD 1,737
35.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$0.63 IQD 948
379.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$1.34 IQD 2,022
87.31%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$1.32 IQD 1,998
170.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$3.46 IQD 5,229
114.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$4.00 IQD 6,045
163.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$13.07 IQD 19.8K
6.89%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$0.92 IQD 1,384
155.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$0.98 IQD 1,481
64.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$0.94 IQD 1,423
410.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$0.61 IQD 920
163.93%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$0.53 IQD 794
616.98%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$0.60 IQD 909
515.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$0.65 IQD 986
73.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$0.56 IQD 847
375.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$1.66 IQD 2,503
212.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$10.41 IQD 15.7K
90.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$1.32 IQD 1,994
119.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$1.67 IQD 2,526
117.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$0.46 IQD 688
143.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$19.40 IQD 29.3K
274.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$1.81 IQD 2,737
18.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.33 IQD 2,016
18.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$5.28 IQD 7,983
61.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$0.64 IQD 960
137.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$15.1K IQD 22.9M
42.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$18.6K IQD 28.2M
85.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$76.4 IQD 115.5K
25.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$10.42 IQD 15.7K
244.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$26.50 IQD 40.0K
102.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$40.93 IQD 61.9K
74.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$9.51 IQD 14.4K
-17.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$133 IQD 201.2K
271.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$2,546 IQD 3.8M
365.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$18.56 IQD 28.0K
190.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$19.90 IQD 30.1K
178.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$42.76 IQD 64.6K
82.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$29.35 IQD 44.3K
171.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$187 IQD 282.2K
321.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$144 IQD 217.4K
452.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$353 IQD 533.7K
1015.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$292 IQD 441.6K
385.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$768 IQD 1.2M
799.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$529 IQD 799.0K
131.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Al Kazimiyah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.33
158.86%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Al Kazimiyah
$144 81.9% $650
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Al Kazimiyah
$158 55.1% $194
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Al Kazimiyah
$108 49.1% $104
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Al Kazimiyah
$113 39% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Al Kazimiyah
$50 58.6% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Al Kazimiyah
$60 31.4% $27
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Al Kazimiyah
$30 65.9% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $187 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $20.00 in Al Kazimiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $158 per month, with Al Kazimiyah cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇮🇶 Al Kazimiyah
🕒 Local time
11:37 11:37 AM
20:37 8:37 PM
9 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, 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).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Al Kazimiyah 12,860 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Al Kazimiyah

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 Kazimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al Kazimiyah cheaper than Nosara?
Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $994 in Al Kazimiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Nosara and Al Kazimiyah?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $187 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Nosara or in Al Kazimiyah?
Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Nosara and in Al Kazimiyah?
All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $663 in Al Kazimiyah – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Al Kazimiyah?
At $663 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kazimiyah but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kazimiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nosara or Al Kazimiyah more family-friendly?
For families, Al Kazimiyah 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, Nosara or Al Kazimiyah?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Al Kazimiyah 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 Al Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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