Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Oskemen

For one person, living is cheaper in Oskemen: $897 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 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
43

Cost of Living Index in Oskemen
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Oskemen Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Oskemen

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$897

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Oskemen

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $897 in Oskemen, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Oskemen $897

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,498 in Oskemen, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Oskemen $1,498

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $2,099 in Oskemen, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Oskemen $2,099

Nosara costs about 105% more than Oskemen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Oskemen is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$12.96 ₸5,835

-5.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$26.65 ₸12.0K

125.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$3.96 ₸1,784

90.40%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$3.41 ₸1,534

26.39%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$1.02 ₸457

68.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.58 ₸263

132.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$1.57 ₸709

106.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$1.68 ₸755

166.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.41 ₸636

11.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.50 ₸223

534.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$1.29 ₸579

87.60%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.72 ₸773

107.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$10.25 ₸4,614

-27.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$5.73 ₸2,581

81.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$7.97 ₸3,586

71.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$1.15 ₸516

101.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.98 ₸892

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.61 ₸1,174

81.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$2.52 ₸1,133

-34.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$0.89 ₸399

317.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.49 ₸219

628.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.31 ₸142

254.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.05 ₸471

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$2.13 ₸960

132.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$4.95 ₸2,227

304.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.45 ₸652

92.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.66 ₸746

112.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.26 ₸117

357.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$1.08 ₸485

107.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$0.30 ₸133

416.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$2.34 ₸1,052

278.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.68 ₸305

130.88%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$32.3K ₸14.5M

-32.42%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$30.1K ₸13.5M

15.16%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$45.73 ₸20.6K

104.35%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$11.11 ₸5,003

216.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$22.78 ₸10.3K

126.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$26.16 ₸11.8K

172.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$19.98 ₸8,993

77.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$5.02 ₸2,259

56.18%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$66.5 ₸30.0K

635.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$2,760 ₸1.2M

330.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$115 ₸51.7K

-53.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$80.4 ₸36.2K

-30.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$98.0 ₸44.1K

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$122 ₸55.0K

-35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$341 ₸153.4K

130.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$224 ₸101.0K

247.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$650 ₸292.7K

493.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$576 ₸259.2K

144.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$1,118 ₸503.5K

523.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$810 ₸364.8K

48.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$794 ₸357.5K

10.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

19.5

-55.79%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Oskemen

$224 25% 71.2% $556

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Oskemen

$193 21.5% 44.8% $157

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Oskemen

$174 19.4% 16.9% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Oskemen

$80 8.9% 55.8% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Oskemen

$187 20.8% 55.4% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Oskemen

$36 4% 58.4% $51

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Oskemen

$3.6 * 0.4% 95.9% $83

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $341 in Oskemen. 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 10% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $27.00 in Oskemen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $193 – making Oskemen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇿 Oskemen

🕒 Local time

23:26 11:26 PM

11:26 11:26 AM

12 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

354,770

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, 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).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Oskemen 13,250 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Oskemen

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 Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $897 in Oskemen – roughly 105% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,346 in Oskemen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oskemen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $27.00 in Oskemen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oskemen, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Oskemen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $897 in Oskemen to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Oskemen. 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.