Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Pogradec

For one person, living is cheaper in Pogradec: $816 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 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
40

Cost of Living Index in Pogradec
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Pogradec Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Pogradec

🇦🇱 Albania

$816

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Pogradec

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

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $816 in Pogradec, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Pogradec $816

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $1,350 in Pogradec, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Pogradec $1,350

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $1,884 in Pogradec, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Pogradec $1,884

Nosara costs about 125% more than Pogradec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 35% above the global median, while Pogradec is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$9.82 ALL 791

25.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$39.52 ALL 3,183

55.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$7.57 ALL 610

2.51%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$1.52 ALL 123

192.11%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$1.78 ALL 143

0.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$0.65 ALL 52.0

98.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$1.52 ALL 122

113.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$2.75 ALL 221

61.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.98 ALL 160

-21.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$0.97 ALL 78.1

217.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$2.06 ALL 166

22.82%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$2.20 ALL 177

56.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$8.00 ALL 644

-8.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$4.41 ALL 355

132.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$13.97 ALL 1,125

0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$1.22 ALL 98.5

87.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$2.25 ALL 181

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$1.52 ALL 123

215.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$1.26 ALL 102

30.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$0.94 ALL 75.8

309.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$1.03 ALL 83.2

264.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$1.04 ALL 83.6

4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$0.78 ALL 62.8

232.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$4.25 ALL 343

20.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$7.98 ALL 643

149.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.22 ALL 98.0

129.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$1.87 ALL 151

88.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$0.50 ALL 40.63

144.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$18.68 ALL 1,504

295.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$3.73 ALL 300

-41.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.82 ALL 147

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$18.74 ALL 1,509

-53.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$2.25 ALL 181

-31.11%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$34.0K ALL 2.7M

1.55%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$24.5K ALL 2.0M

58.04%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$61.0 ALL 4,913

55.42%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$16.58 ALL 1,335

118.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$17.22 ALL 1,387

208.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$35.88 ALL 2,889

105.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$18.68 ALL 1,504

90.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$8.43 ALL 679

-6.17%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$98.2 ALL 7,910

399.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$49.70 ALL 4,002

10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$56.2 ALL 4,523

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$98.3 ALL 7,916

-18.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$150 ALL 12.1K

-48.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$185 ALL 14.9K

332.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$123 ALL 9,902

542.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$370 ALL 29.8K

983.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$249 ALL 20.0K

466.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$1,597 ALL 128.6K

342.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$1,467 ALL 118.2K

-15.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$476 ALL 38.4K

86.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

72.40%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Pogradec

$123 15.1% 84.4% $667

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Pogradec

$211 25.8% 39.7% $139

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Pogradec

$142 17.4% 33.1% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Pogradec

$95 11.6% 48.5% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Pogradec

$159 19.5% 31.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Pogradec

$53 6.5% 41.1% $37

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Pogradec

$34 4.1% 62.2% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $185 in Pogradec. 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 86% 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $40.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $211 – making Pogradec the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇦🇱 Pogradec

🕒 Local time

16:37 4:37 PM

00:37 12:37 AM

8 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

20,848

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 ALL = 1.24 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Pogradec 10,620 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Pogradec

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 Pogradec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,835 in Nosara, $816 in Pogradec – roughly 125% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $1,225 in Pogradec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 296% less in Pogradec. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $98.2 in Pogradec. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pogradec, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Pogradec 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 $816 in Pogradec to $1,835 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 Pogradec. 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.