Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ioannina

For one person, living is cheaper in Ioannina: $1,378 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Ioannina
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,378
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ioannina

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,378 in Ioannina.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Ioannina $1,378

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $2,102 in Ioannina.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Ioannina $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $2,827 in Ioannina.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Ioannina $2,827

Living in Nosara is roughly 33% more expensive than in Ioannina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Ioannina 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,547
$16.71 €14.90
-26.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.5K
$33.81 €30.14
80.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,377
$11.10 €9.89
-32.25%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,981
$4.06 €3.62
8.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡781
$2.87 €2.56
-39.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡588
$0.58 €0.52
125.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,473
$4.50 €4.02
-27.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,007
$5.65 €5.04
-20.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡702
$1.68 €1.50
-7.14%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,357
$1.13 €1.01
167.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,127
$3.70 €3.30
-32.16%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,605
$3.56 €3.17
0.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,338
$10.92 €9.74
-31.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,724
$9.02 €8.04
16.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,274
$12.08 €10.77
15.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,054
$2.49 €2.22
-5.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡721
$1.98 €1.76
-18.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,155
$1.20 €1.07
300.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡725
$2.63 €2.34
-38.78%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,706
$1.16 €1.04
227.59%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,659
$1.02 €0.91
261.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.01 €0.90
11.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,193
$0.85 €0.75
212.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,324
$5.42 €4.84
-4.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,929
$6.49 €5.79
206.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,302
$2.00 €1.79
45.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,628
$3.28 €2.92
10.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡505
$1.31 €1.17
-14.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$41.58 €37.07
74.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡959
$4.27 €3.81
-49.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡704
$1.13 €1.01
38.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,828
$6.86 €6.12
24.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡683
$2.05 €1.83
-25.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$27.9K €24.8K
-22.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$24.8K €22.1K
39.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$213 €190
-54.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$22.85 €20.37
57.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.1K
$28.89 €25.76
85.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.2K
$45.24 €40.33
58.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$44.82 €39.96
-22.11%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,544
$8.76 €7.81
-9.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.9K
$339 €303
45.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$8,804 €7,850
34.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$67.3 €60.0
-19.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.9K
$46.06 €41.07
20.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡35.0K
$76.2 €68.0
2.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.8K
$133 €119
-40.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.9K
$457 €407
72.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.7K
$322 €287
146.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$699 €623
463.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡637.4K
$617 €550
129.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$2,927 €2,610
136.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.8K
$2,433 €2,170
-49.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Ioannina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.8K
$1,056 €941
-18.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
4.73
82.24%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ioannina: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Ioannina
$322 59.4% $472
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Ioannina
$263 25.4% $89
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Ioannina
$263 24.3% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Ioannina
$265 42.6% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Ioannina
$145 21% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Ioannina
$63 28.2% $25
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Ioannina
$57 34.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $457 in Ioannina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ioannina pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $34.00 in Ioannina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $263 per month, with Ioannina cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇷 Ioannina
🕒 Local time
05:25 5:25 AM
14:25 2:25 PM
9 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
89,061
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Ioannina 10,680 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Ioannina

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 Ioannina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Ioannina?
Nosara and Ioannina differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $1,378 including rent). Ioannina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Ioannina. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Ioannina?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $457 in Ioannina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Ioannina?
Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $339 in Ioannina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,378 in Ioannina versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ioannina but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Ioannina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Ioannina?
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.
Is Nosara or Ioannina safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Ioannina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Nosara or Ioannina?
Expats usually find Ioannina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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