Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and 'aqrah

For one person, living is cheaper in 'aqrah: $661 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.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in 'aqrah
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'aqrah Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

'aqrah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in 'aqrah

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $661 in 'aqrah.

Nosara $1,839
'aqrah $661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $1,015 in 'aqrah.

Nosara $2,828
'aqrah $1,015

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,369 in 'aqrah.

Nosara $3,818
'aqrah $1,369

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,547

$3.62 IQD 5,467

241.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$21.82 IQD 33.0K

180.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,377

$6.82 IQD 10.3K

10.26%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,981

$2.38 IQD 3,602

85.29%

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

$1.74 ₡781

$0.32 IQD 485

443.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡588

$0.18 IQD 273

627.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,473

$3.11 IQD 4,706

5.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,007

$2.61 IQD 3,945

71.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$0.94 IQD 1,416

65.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,357

$0.72 IQD 1,086

319.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,127

$1.46 IQD 2,205

71.92%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,605

$1.70 IQD 2,573

110.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,338

$3.48 IQD 5,252

113.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,724

$4.16 IQD 6,291

152.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,274

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,054

$0.92 IQD 1,383

155.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡721

$0.91 IQD 1,375

76.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,155

$0.77 IQD 1,161

523.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡725

$0.66 IQD 990

143.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,706

$0.54 IQD 809

603.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,659

$0.64 IQD 965

476.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.51 IQD 776

121.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,193

$0.50 IQD 756

432.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,324

$1.57 IQD 2,368

229.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,929

$10.92 IQD 16.5K

82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,302

$1.33 IQD 2,003

118.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,628

$1.85 IQD 2,800

96.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡505

$0.45 IQD 679

148.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$17.50 IQD 26.4K

315.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡959

$1.89 IQD 2,859

13.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡704

$1.39 IQD 2,099

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,828

$5.15 IQD 7,788

65.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡683

$0.48 IQD 727

216.67%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

27.95%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

78.02%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$80.2 IQD 121.1K

20.14%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

164.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$27.25 IQD 41.2K

96.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.2K

$37.01 IQD 55.9K

93.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,544

$8.39 IQD 12.7K

-5.96%

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

$494 ₡221.9K

$142 IQD 213.9K

249.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$2,656 IQD 4.0M

346.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

144.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$23.85 IQD 36.0K

132.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.0K

$47.26 IQD 71.4K

64.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$31.06 IQD 46.9K

156.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.9K

$184 IQD 277.8K

328.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.7K

$141 IQD 213.2K

463.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$358 IQD 541.4K

999.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡637.4K

$278 IQD 419.4K

411.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$779 IQD 1.2M

787.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.8K

$642 IQD 970.8K

90.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.8K

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 'aqrah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

'aqrah

$141 21.4% 82.2% $653

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

'aqrah

$160 24.2% 54.6% $192

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

'aqrah

$101 15.3% 52.4% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

'aqrah

$121 18.3% 34.9% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

'aqrah

$56 8.5% 53.4% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

'aqrah

$54 8.1% 38.4% $34

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

'aqrah

$28 4.3% 67.7% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $184 in 'aqrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $22.00 in 'aqrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $160 per month, with 'aqrah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇮🇶 'aqrah

🕒 Local time

21:56 9:56 PM

06:56 6:56 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

68,100

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 506 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 = 1,701 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara 'aqrah 12,620 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
'aqrah

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 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'aqrah wins on cost – living expenses run 178% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making 'aqrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $991 in 'aqrah 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $184 in 'aqrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $661 in 'aqrah – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in 'aqrah runs roughly 315% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in 'aqrah versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in 'aqrah but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes 'aqrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but 'aqrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes 'aqrah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and 'aqrah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'aqrah 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.