Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Basra

For one person, living is cheaper in Basra: $750 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Basra
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Basra Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Basra

🇮🇶 Iraq

$750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Basra

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $750 in Basra.

Nosara $1,837
Basra $750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $1,357 in Basra.

Nosara $2,775
Basra $1,357

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $1,964 in Basra.

Nosara $3,712
Basra $1,964

Living in Nosara is roughly 145% more expensive than in Basra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 37% above, Basra is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$4.46 IQD 6,745

173.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$30.01 IQD 45.3K

100.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$7.50 IQD 11.3K

0.53%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$2.64 IQD 3,982

63.26%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.43 IQD 650

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.32 IQD 483

321.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$3.71 IQD 5,603

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$4.27 IQD 6,450

4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.11 IQD 1,679

41.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.68 IQD 1,034

366.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$1.40 IQD 2,120

72.86%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.81 IQD 2,732

97.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$7.57 IQD 11.4K

-1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$6.27 IQD 9,479

66.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$13.99 IQD 21.1K

-2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$1.03 IQD 1,551

125.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.31 IQD 1,981

22.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$1.03 IQD 1,553

360.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$0.64 IQD 973

159.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$0.72 IQD 1,094

416.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.67 IQD 1,009

432.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.93 IQD 1,404

18.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.41 IQD 624

521.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$2.12 IQD 3,204

133.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$12.11 IQD 18.3K

65.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.62 IQD 2,453

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.96 IQD 2,960

80.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.55 IQD 830

116.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$19.42 IQD 29.3K

271.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$2.24 IQD 3,384

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$2.33 IQD 3,518

-33.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$7.46 IQD 11.3K

18.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.61 IQD 917

157.38%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$13.2K IQD 20.0M

64.72%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$22.5K IQD 34.0M

53.92%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$50.3 IQD 76.1K

85.64%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$25.65 IQD 38.8K

36.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$38.51 IQD 58.2K

33.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$36.03 IQD 54.4K

98.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$13.80 IQD 20.9K

156.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$7.61 IQD 11.5K

3.02%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$128 IQD 192.9K

283.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$3,814 IQD 5.8M

211.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$49.10 IQD 74.2K

9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$20.77 IQD 31.4K

168.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$77.6 IQD 117.3K

2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$42.13 IQD 63.7K

87.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$462 IQD 698.8K

69.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$151 IQD 227.9K

417.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$848 IQD 1.3M

355.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$623 IQD 941.2K

125.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$1,615 IQD 2.4M

331.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$800 IQD 1.2M

50.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$749 IQD 1.1M

16.98%

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 5, 2026

Last update for Basra: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Basra

$151 20% 80.7% $629

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Basra

$196 26% 44% $154

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Basra

$120 15.9% 42.7% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Basra

$115 15.2% 36.4% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Basra

$85 11.3% 29.1% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Basra

$51 6.8% 41.1% $36

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Basra

$35 4.7% 59.1% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Nosara and $462 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Nosara vs $30.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $196 per month, with Basra cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇮🇶 Basra

🕒 Local time

01:00 1:00 AM

10:00 10:00 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

2,150,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.9 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,695 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.9 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Basra 13,310 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Basra

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 Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Basra differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($1,837 vs $750 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Nosara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $786 in Nosara versus $462 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $750 in Basra versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Basra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.