Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kuressaare

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuressaare: $1,493 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Kuressaare
🇪🇪 Estonia
$1,493
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kuressaare

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,493 in Kuressaare, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Kuressaare $1,493

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,215 in Kuressaare, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Kuressaare $2,215

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,937 in Kuressaare, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Kuressaare $2,937

Nosara costs about 23% more than Kuressaare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Kuressaare sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Kuressaare by 11%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$13.17 €11.71
-6.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$68.1 €60.6
-10.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$9.15 €8.14
-17.81%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$4.02 €3.58
9.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$3.42 €3.04
-49.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$2.85 €2.54
-54.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$6.45 €5.74
-49.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$5.71 €5.08
-21.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.17 €1.05
33.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.91 €1.70
58.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.37 €2.11
5.91%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$2.94 €2.61
21.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$12.46 €11.08
-40.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$8.75 €7.78
20.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$14.69 €13.06
-4.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$1.76 €1.57
33.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.50 €1.34
7.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.40 €2.13
100.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$2.95 €2.62
-45.42%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.04 €0.93
265.38%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$0.90 €0.80
310.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.87 €1.67
-39.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.18 €1.05
125.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$6.82 €6.07
-24.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$10.33 €9.19
92.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$1.88 €1.67
54.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$2.26 €2.01
60.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$2.18 €1.94
-48.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$27.78 €24.71
161.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$3.49 €3.10
-38.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$0.99 €0.88
58.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$26.97 €23.99
-68.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.00 €1.78
-24.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$27.4K €24.4K
-21.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$30.1K €26.7K
14.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$309 €275
-68.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$11.30 €10.05
217.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$35.12 €31.24
52.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$34.03 €30.27
110.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$11.74 €10.45
-32.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$438 €389
12.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$11.7K €10.4K
1.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$111 €98.9
-51.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$48.47 €43.12
14.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$104 €92.4
-25.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$121 €107
-34.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$505 €450
55.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$332 €295
139.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$668 €594
489.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$501 €446
183.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$4,122 €3,666
67.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$2,475 €2,202
-50.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Kuressaare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$1,293 €1,150
-33.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.93
119.34%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kuressaare: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Kuressaare
$332 58.2% $463
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Kuressaare
$281 20.4% $72
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Kuressaare
$250 17.9% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Kuressaare
$356 91.5% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Kuressaare
$173 44% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Kuressaare
$58 34.2% $30
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Kuressaare
$45 48.4% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $505 in Kuressaare. 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 50% higher in Kuressaare, 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 $68.0 in Kuressaare. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $281 in Kuressaare – so Kuressaare wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇪🇪 Kuressaare
🕒 Local time
00:05 12:05 AM
09:05 9:05 AM
9 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
15,170
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Kuressaare 10,100 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Kuressaare

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 Kuressaare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kuressaare cheaper than Nosara?
Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,240 in Kuressaare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuressaare, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Nosara and in Kuressaare?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $1,493 in Kuressaare. That's a gap of about 23%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 161% less in Kuressaare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Kuressaare?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuressaare, where all-in costs run around $1,493, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Kuressaare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nosara or Kuressaare more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kuressaare – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Kuressaare?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kuressaare. 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.

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