Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Al Wakrah

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Wakrah: $1,449 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Al Wakrah
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Al Wakrah Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Al Wakrah

🇶🇦 Qatar

$1,449

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,449 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Al Wakrah $1,449

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,549 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Al Wakrah $2,549

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,648 in Al Wakrah, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Al Wakrah $3,648

Nosara costs about 27% more than Al Wakrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Al Wakrah sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Al Wakrah by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$4.01 QAR 14.59

207.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$41.77 QAR 152

46.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.62 QAR 20.47

33.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.27 QAR 44.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.67 QAR 49.77

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.81 QAR 21.17

-24.10%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.72 QAR 2.61

141.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.28 QAR 1.03

367.86%

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

$2.14 QAR 7.78

-27.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.33 QAR 4.84

127.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.92 QAR 7.00

30.73%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.99 QAR 10.87

19.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$5.59 QAR 20.36

32.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.78 QAR 28.33

35.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$7.64 QAR 27.83

82.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.22 QAR 8.08

5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.77 QAR 6.43

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.56 QAR 5.66

207.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.24 QAR 4.53

29.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.81 QAR 2.95

369.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.74 QAR 2.69

398.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.11 QAR 4.06

1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.51 QAR 1.84

421.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.29 QAR 33.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 QAR 6.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 QAR 8.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$4.00 QAR 14.54

29.50%

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

$0.53 QAR 1.94

111.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.89 QAR 6.88

13.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$2.08 QAR 7.58

-24.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$13.61 QAR 49.52

-37.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.58 QAR 2.13

162.07%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$27.9K QAR 101.7K

-22.67%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$21.8K QAR 79.5K

58.14%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$83.8 QAR 305

14.89%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$34.45 QAR 125

4.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$85.4 QAR 311

-37.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$136 QAR 496

-47.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$9.45 QAR 34.40

-16.51%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$674 QAR 2,452

-26.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$9,678 QAR 35.2K

22.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$25.72 QAR 93.6

109.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$20.68 QAR 75.3

167.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$99.9 QAR 364

-22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$82.8 QAR 301

-3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$1,084 QAR 3,945

-27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$669 QAR 2,434

18.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,122 QAR 7,726

85.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,943 QAR 7,074

-26.97%

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

$4,344 QAR 15.8K

-80.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.92

45.61%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Al Wakrah: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Al Wakrah

$669 46.2% 15.8% $126

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Al Wakrah

$182 12.5% 48.5% $171

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Al Wakrah

$123 8.5% 42.1% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Al Wakrah

$204 14.1% 9.6% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Al Wakrah

$103 7.1% 14.2% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Al Wakrah

$155 10.7% 77.4% $68

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Al Wakrah

$14 * 1% 83.4% $73

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 $1,084 in Al Wakrah. 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 403% higher in Al Wakrah, 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 $42.00 in Al Wakrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $182 – making Al Wakrah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇶🇦 Al Wakrah

🕒 Local time

21:00 9:00 PM

06:00 6:00 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

87,970

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 QAR = 0.275 USD

1 QAR = 0.244 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

QAR, 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).

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 QAR (1 QAR = 0.244 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Al Wakrah 13,960 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Al Wakrah

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 Wakrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,174 in Al Wakrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $42.00 in Al Wakrah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Wakrah, where all-in costs run around $1,449, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Al Wakrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Wakrah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Wakrah. 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.