Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and AL Kharj

For one person, living is cheaper in AL Kharj: $957 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in AL Kharj
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AL Kharj Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

AL Kharj

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$957

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in AL Kharj

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $957 in AL Kharj, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
AL Kharj $957

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,464 in AL Kharj, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
AL Kharj $1,464

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,971 in AL Kharj, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
AL Kharj $1,971

Nosara costs about 92% more than AL Kharj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while AL Kharj is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$4.74 SAR 17.77

160.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$26.64 SAR 100.0

129.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-6.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.08 SAR 11.54

43.18%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₡780

$0.88 SAR 3.31

97.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.13 SAR 0.48

907.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.44 SAR 5.39

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.28 SAR 1.06

978.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.35 SAR 8.82

6.81%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.17 SAR 8.16

64.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$10.49 SAR 39.36

-29.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$5.15 SAR 19.33

104.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$13.51 SAR 50.7

3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.77 SAR 6.66

32.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.30 SAR 4.88

23.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.21 SAR 4.54

296.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.36 SAR 5.11

18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.03 SAR 3.88

268.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.04 SAR 3.89

254.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.52 SAR 1.94

117.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.53 SAR 2.01

401.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.12 SAR 7.94

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$6.55 SAR 24.56

-20.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$23.40 SAR 87.8

210.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.51 SAR 1.92

207.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$13.11 SAR 49.21

-35.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.64 SAR 2.40

137.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$34.6K SAR 129.8K

-37.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$22.8K SAR 85.7K

51.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$107 SAR 402

-10.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$26.65 SAR 100

34.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$51.6 SAR 194

3.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$71.9 SAR 270

-0.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$40.47 SAR 152

-13.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$13.11 SAR 49.21

-39.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$494 ₡221.6K

$286 SAR 1,074

72.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$3,763 SAR 14.1K

215.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$58.7 SAR 220

-8.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$54.3 SAR 204

2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$47.41 SAR 178

64.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$80.2 SAR 301

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$700 SAR 2,626

12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$259 SAR 972

206.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$596 SAR 2,236

561.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$456 SAR 1,711

211.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$2,790 SAR 10.5K

-69.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.54

55.60%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for AL Kharj: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

AL Kharj

$259 27.1% 67.4% $535

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

AL Kharj

$175 18.3% 50.3% $177

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

AL Kharj

$103 10.8% 51.4% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

AL Kharj

$185 19.4% 0.2% $0.4

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

AL Kharj

$108 11.3% 9.9% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

AL Kharj

$98 10.3% 12.3% $11

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

AL Kharj

$29 * 3% 67.1% $58

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $700 in AL Kharj. 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 223% higher in AL Kharj, 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $27.00 in AL Kharj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $175 – making AL Kharj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇸🇦 AL Kharj

🕒 Local time

05:50 5:50 AM

14:50 2:50 PM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

425,300

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara AL Kharj 13,650 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
AL Kharj

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 Kharj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $957 in AL Kharj – roughly 92% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,436 in AL Kharj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in AL Kharj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $286 in AL Kharj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 101% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in AL Kharj, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Nosara at $1,839. In AL Kharj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $957 in AL Kharj to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with AL Kharj. 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.