Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Saue

For one person, living is cheaper in Saue: $1,099 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Saue
🇪🇪 Estonia
$1,099
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Saue

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,099 in Saue, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Saue $1,099

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,716 in Saue, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Saue $1,716

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,334 in Saue, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Saue $2,334

Nosara costs about 67% more than Saue, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Saue is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Saue
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,550
$16.97 €15.14
-27.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.5K
$69.9 €62.3
-12.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,379
$11.01 €9.82
-31.70%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,982
$4.14 €3.69
6.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡781
$2.16 €1.93
-19.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡588
$2.23 €1.99
-41.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,474
$6.28 €5.60
-47.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,008
$6.86 €6.12
-34.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Saue
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡702
$1.07 €0.95
45.79%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,358
$1.44 €1.29
109.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,127
$2.28 €2.03
10.09%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,606
$2.91 €2.60
22.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,340
$11.46 €10.22
-35.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,727
$8.40 €7.49
25.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,277
$14.78 €13.19
-5.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,054
$2.13 €1.90
10.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡721
$1.41 €1.26
14.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,156
$2.41 €2.15
99.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡725
$2.91 €2.60
-44.67%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,706
$0.80 €0.71
375.00%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,660
$0.76 €0.68
385.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡508
$1.83 €1.63
-38.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,193
$0.95 €0.85
180.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,326
$6.59 €5.88
-21.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,934
$10.01 €8.93
98.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,303
$1.86 €1.66
55.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,629
$2.03 €1.81
78.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Saue
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡505
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡960
$3.65 €3.25
-41.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡705
$1.03 €0.92
52.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,830
$25.85 €23.05
-67.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡683
$1.92 €1.72
-20.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$28.3K €25.3K
-23.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$30.1K €26.8K
14.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Saue
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.3K
$301 €268
-67.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$17.59 €15.69
104.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.1K
$32.31 €28.82
65.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Saue
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.2K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,546
$11.78 €10.51
-33.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Saue
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡222.0K
$433 €386
14.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$9,885 €8,817
19.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Saue
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$101 €90.4
-46.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.9K
$47.95 €42.77
15.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡35.0K
$107 €95.2
-27.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.8K
$120 €107
-33.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Saue
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡354.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡637.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡550.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Saue
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡388.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.44
150.58%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Saue: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Saue
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Saue
$266 24.5% $86
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Saue
$281 32.7% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Saue
$351 88.7% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Saue
$169 40.8% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Saue
$24 * 73% $64
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Saue
$8.8 * 89.9% $78

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $70.0 in Saue. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $266 in Saue – so Saue wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇪🇪 Saue
🕒 Local time
16:21 4:21 PM
01:21 1:21 AM
9 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
5,810
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Saue 10,160 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Saue

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 Saue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Saue compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,099 in Saue – roughly 67% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Saue?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,649 in Saue. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $70.0 in Saue. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 32% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saue, where all-in costs run around $1,099, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Saue 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 Saue?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,099 in Saue to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Saue 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 Saue?
If budget matters most, go with Saue. 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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