Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Samaxi

For one person, living is cheaper in Samaxi: $839 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 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
41

Cost of Living Index in Samaxi
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Samaxi Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Samaxi

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Samaxi

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $839 in Samaxi, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Samaxi $839

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,503 in Samaxi, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Samaxi $1,503

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $2,168 in Samaxi, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Samaxi $2,168

Nosara costs about 119% more than Samaxi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$8.06 ₼13.69

51.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$29.62 ₼50.3

103.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$5.72 ₼9.71

31.82%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$2.72 ₼4.61

58.46%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.92 ₼1.56

86.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.34 ₼0.58

297.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$1.19 ₼2.03

172.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$2.30 ₼3.92

94.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.30 ₼2.20

20.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.33 ₼0.56

860.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$2.36 ₼4.01

2.54%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.18 ₼2.01

202.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$2.91 ₼4.95

155.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$4.48 ₼7.61

132.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$8.59 ₼14.61

59.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$0.63 ₼1.08

268.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.54 ₼2.62

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$1.37 ₼2.34

245.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$1.01 ₼1.72

64.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$0.65 ₼1.10

472.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.49 ₼0.83

628.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.47 ₼0.79

134.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.59 ₼1.01

332.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$3.54 ₼6.02

39.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$5.39 ₼9.16

271.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$0.92 ₼1.56

203.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.96 ₼3.34

80.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.30 ₼0.52

296.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$14.94 ₼25.38

382.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$1.72 ₼2.92

30.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$0.28 ₼0.47

453.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$2.97 ₼5.04

198.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.61 ₼1.03

157.38%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$23.2K ₼39.4K

-5.92%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$24.5K ₼41.6K

41.55%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$33.45 ₼56.9

179.37%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$12.71 ₼21.61

176.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$14.59 ₼24.79

252.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$29.88 ₼50.8

138.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$14.99 ₼25.47

136.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$7.25 ₼12.33

8.14%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$238 ₼404

105.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$11.8K ₼20.0K

1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$46.91 ₼79.7

14.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$58.8 ₼100

-5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$120 ₼204

-33.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$118 ₼200

-32.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$375 ₼637

109.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$289 ₼491

170.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$717 ₼1,219

438.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$871 ₼1,481

61.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$2,028 ₼3,447

243.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$1,197 ₼2,034

0.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$339 ₼576

158.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

7.75%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Samaxi: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Samaxi

$289 34.4% 63% $491

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Samaxi

$141 16.9% 59.5% $208

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Samaxi

$130 15.5% 38% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Samaxi

$61 7.2% 66.3% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Samaxi

$154 18.4% 28.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Samaxi

$44 5.3% 49% $43

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Samaxi

$19 2.3% 77.8% $68

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $375 in Samaxi. 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 159% 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 $30.00 in Samaxi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $141 – making Samaxi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇦🇿 Samaxi

🕒 Local time

21:55 9:55 PM

07:55 7:55 AM

10 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

41,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.525 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AZN, 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).

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.91 AZN (1 AZN = 0.525 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Samaxi 12,690 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Samaxi

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 Samaxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $839 in Samaxi – roughly 119% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,259 in Samaxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 382% less in Samaxi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $238 in Samaxi. 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 Samaxi, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Samaxi 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 $839 in Samaxi 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 Samaxi. 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.