Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Riyadh

For one person, living costs are similar in Nosara and in Riyadh: $1,837 and $1,768 a month, rent and utilities included.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Riyadh
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Riyadh Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,768

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Riyadh

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,768 in Riyadh, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Riyadh $1,768

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $2,557 in Riyadh, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Riyadh $2,557

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $3,345 in Riyadh, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Riyadh $3,345

Nosara costs about 4% more than Riyadh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Riyadh sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Riyadh by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$8.09 SAR 30.36

51.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$66.5 SAR 250

-9.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$8.11 SAR 30.47

-7.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.19

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$4.34 SAR 16.31

-0.69%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.86 SAR 3.24

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.30 SAR 1.12

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-11.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$1.32 SAR 4.97

140.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$2.40 SAR 9.03

0.83%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$3.06 SAR 11.48

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$10.63 SAR 39.91

-30.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$9.60 SAR 36.05

8.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$14.98 SAR 56.3

-8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$2.80 SAR 10.51

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.98 SAR 7.45

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.51 SAR 9.43

88.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$1.80 SAR 6.75

-7.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$1.18 SAR 4.45

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$1.34 SAR 5.01

166.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-38.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.54 SAR 2.03

372.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.11 SAR 30.44

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$7.53 SAR 28.26

-34.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$1.05 SAR 3.96

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$37.18 SAR 140

93.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-31.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$1.91 SAR 7.19

-18.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$13.43 SAR 50.5

-34.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.65 SAR 2.42

141.54%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$34.6K SAR 130.0K

-37.04%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$22.8K SAR 85.7K

51.67%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$106 SAR 397

-11.56%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$29.10 SAR 109

20.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$72.7 SAR 273

-29.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$91.4 SAR 343

-21.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$56.4 SAR 212

-37.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$13.20 SAR 49.58

-40.61%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$532 SAR 1,999

-8.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$10.2K SAR 38.4K

16.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$57.4 SAR 215

-6.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$54.4 SAR 204

2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$105 SAR 393

-24.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$106 SAR 397

-25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$1,211 SAR 4,547

-35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$834 SAR 3,132

-6.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$2,223 SAR 8,346

73.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$1,241 SAR 4,658

13.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$3,011 SAR 11.3K

131.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$1,937 SAR 7,274

-38.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$2,037 SAR 7,648

-56.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.54

55.60%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Riyadh

$834 47.7% 6.9% $54

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Riyadh

$242 13.9% 30.7% $107

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Riyadh

$146 8.4% 30.4% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Riyadh

$208 11.9% 15.3% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Riyadh

$145 8.3% 20.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Riyadh

$118 6.8% 35.3% $31

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Riyadh

$54 3.1% 37.5% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $1,211 in Riyadh. 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 132% higher in Riyadh, 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $66.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $242 in Riyadh – so Riyadh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇸🇦 Riyadh

🕒 Local time

23:23 11:23 PM

08:23 8:23 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

5,188,286 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, 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).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Riyadh 13,570 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Riyadh

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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $1,768 in Riyadh – roughly 4% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $2,652 in Riyadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 94% less in Riyadh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $532 in Riyadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Riyadh, where all-in costs run around $1,768, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Riyadh 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 $1,768 in Riyadh 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 Riyadh. 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.