Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Novara

For one person, living is cheaper in Novara: $1,475 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Novara
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,475
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Novara

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,475 in Novara, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Novara $1,475

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,279 in Novara, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Novara $2,279

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,083 in Novara, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Novara $3,083

Nosara costs about 25% more than Novara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Novara sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Novara by 9%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Novara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$16.56 €14.73
-25.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$55.2 €49.09
10.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$10.24 €9.11
-26.56%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$1.75 €1.56
152.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$3.32 €2.95
-47.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.64 €1.46
-20.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$5.72 €5.09
-42.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$5.17 €4.60
-13.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Novara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.39 €1.24
12.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.95 €1.74
54.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.87 €2.55
-12.54%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$3.19 €2.84
11.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$11.10 €9.87
-33.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$8.87 €7.89
18.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$13.44 €11.95
3.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$2.48 €2.21
-5.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.70 €1.51
-5.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$3.27 €2.91
46.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$2.14 €1.91
-24.77%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.97 €1.75
92.89%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.07 €0.95
244.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.02 €0.91
10.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$0.71 €0.63
274.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$6.19 €5.51
-16.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$5.70 €5.07
248.77%
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
$2.24 €1.99
62.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Novara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$1.66 €1.47
-32.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$37.99 €33.79
91.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$4.43 €3.94
-51.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.20 €1.06
30.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$34.60 €30.78
-75.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.02 €1.80
-24.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$27.6K €24.5K
-21.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$32.5K €28.9K
6.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Novara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$176 €156
-45.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$10.37 €9.23
246.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$29.75 €26.47
80.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Novara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$78.0 €69.3
-8.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$18.88 €16.79
84.90%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$11.38 €10.12
-30.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Novara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$500 €445
-1.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$9,957 €8,856
19.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Novara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$125 €112
-56.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$33.17 €29.51
67.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$55.8 €49.61
39.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$142 €126
-43.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Novara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$638 €568
23.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$433 €385
83.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$1,063 €945
270.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$777 €691
82.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$2,806 €2,496
146.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$1,923 €1,711
-36.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Novara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$2,090 €1,859
-58.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.62
138.12%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Novara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Novara
$433 45.5% $361
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Novara
$268 23.9% $84
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Novara
$243 14.7% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Novara
$216 16.1% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Novara
$160 33.5% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Novara
$101 15.3% $13
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Novara
$55 36.8% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $638 in Novara. 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 142% higher in Novara, 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 $55.0 in Novara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $268 – making Novara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇮🇹 Novara
🕒 Local time
22:51 10:51 PM
06:51 6:51 AM
8 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
100,910
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Novara 9,550 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Novara

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 Novara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Novara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,475 in Novara – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Novara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,213 in Novara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Novara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Novara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Novara?
Public transport costs about 91% less in Novara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Novara?
Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $500 in Novara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Novara, where all-in costs run around $1,475, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Novara 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 Novara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,475 in Novara to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Novara 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 Novara?
If budget matters most, go with Novara. 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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