Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Lusail

For one person, living is cheaper in Lusail: $749 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Lusail
🇶🇦 Qatar
$749
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Lusail

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $749 in Lusail, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Lusail $749

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,273 in Lusail, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Lusail $1,273

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,797 in Lusail, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Lusail $1,797

Nosara costs about 145% more than Lusail, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Lusail is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$8.35 QAR 30.39
47.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$68.5 QAR 249
-10.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$8.06 QAR 29.33
-6.70%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$7.99 QAR 29.08
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$9.33 QAR 33.97
-
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$5.51 QAR 20.04
-19.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$0.85 QAR 3.08
104.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$0.26 QAR 0.94
403.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$2.15 QAR 7.81
-27.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.36 QAR 4.93
122.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$1.40 QAR 5.10
79.29%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$3.34 QAR 12.16
6.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$11.29 QAR 41.09
-34.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$8.06 QAR 29.36
30.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$11.28 QAR 41.05
23.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$2.22 QAR 8.07
5.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.85 QAR 6.73
-12.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$1.56 QAR 5.69
207.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$0.57 QAR 2.08
182.46%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$0.56 QAR 2.06
578.57%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$0.53 QAR 1.93
596.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.39 QAR 5.04
-18.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$0.55 QAR 1.99
383.64%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$9.88 QAR 35.96
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.83 QAR 6.65
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.20 QAR 8.01
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$6.48 QAR 23.59
-20.06%
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
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$1.98 QAR 7.19
8.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$2.12 QAR 7.72
-25.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$13.46 QAR 48.99
-36.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$0.54 QAR 1.97
181.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$28.4K QAR 103.5K
-23.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$22.6K QAR 82.2K
52.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$86.8 QAR 316
10.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$34.93 QAR 127
2.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$86.0 QAR 313
-37.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$12.26 QAR 44.64
-35.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$682 QAR 2,484
-27.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$9,690 QAR 35.3K
22.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$61.5 QAR 224
-12.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$53.2 QAR 194
4.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$98.4 QAR 358
-20.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$86.0 QAR 313
-7.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Lusail
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$1,393 QAR 5,071
-38.02%
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 Lusail: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Lusail
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Lusail
$208 40.9% $144
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Lusail
$161 23.8% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Lusail
$208 11.8% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Lusail
$135 12.1% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Lusail
$25 * 71.9% $63
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Lusail
$13 * 85.6% $75

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 61% higher in Lusail, 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 $69.0 in Lusail. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $208 in Lusail – so Lusail wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇶🇦 Lusail
🕒 Local time
20:55 8:55 PM
05:55 5:55 AM
9 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
198,600
💱 Currency
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Exchange rates and currency converter

QAR, USD, EUR 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).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Lusail 13,930 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Lusail

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 Lusail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Lusail compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $749 in Lusail – roughly 145% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Lusail?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,124 in Lusail. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $69.0 in Lusail. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 69% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lusail, where all-in costs run around $749, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Lusail it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Lusail?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $749 in Lusail to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Lusail safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Nosara and Lusail?
If budget matters most, go with Lusail. 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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