Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Tabuk

For one person, living is cheaper in Tabuk: $1,234 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Tabuk
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Tabuk Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Tabuk

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,234

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Tabuk

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,234 in Tabuk, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Tabuk $1,234

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,834 in Tabuk, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Tabuk $1,834

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,434 in Tabuk, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Tabuk $2,434

Nosara costs about 49% more than Tabuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Tabuk is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$7.64 SAR 28.66

61.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$31.43 SAR 118

94.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$7.79 SAR 29.22

-3.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.21 SAR 12.05

37.38%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.78 SAR 2.93

123.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.26 SAR 0.97

403.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.01 SAR 7.55

-22.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.92 SAR 3.46

228.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-8.39%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.87 SAR 10.77

24.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$12.52 SAR 46.97

-40.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$6.78 SAR 25.45

55.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$12.65 SAR 47.46

10.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.99 SAR 7.48

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.76 SAR 6.60

172.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$2.21 SAR 8.31

-27.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.69 SAR 6.35

124.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.10 SAR 7.88

75.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.90 SAR 7.12

-40.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.61 SAR 2.28

336.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$6.57 SAR 24.65

-21.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.05 SAR 3.94

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$36.33 SAR 136

99.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.60 SAR 9.76

-17.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.82 SAR 6.81

-13.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-36.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.66 SAR 2.46

130.30%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$43.9K SAR 164.7K

-50.77%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$20.8K SAR 78.1K

65.83%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$102 SAR 385

-6.03%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$37.35 SAR 140

-3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$77.0 SAR 289

-30.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$82.2 SAR 308

-12.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-41.69%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$424 SAR 1,592

16.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$8,651 SAR 32.5K

37.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$41.90 SAR 157

28.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$54.5 SAR 204

1.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$95.3 SAR 357

-18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$86.8 SAR 326

-8.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$343 SAR 1,286

129.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$380 SAR 1,427

108.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$638 SAR 2,396

516.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$615 SAR 2,308

130.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,358 SAR 8,848

193.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,359 SAR 5,100

-9.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,712 SAR 6,423

-49.55%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Tabuk

$380 30.8% 52.1% $414

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Tabuk

$223 18.1% 36.6% $129

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Tabuk

$127 10.3% 40% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Tabuk

$217 17.6% 16.7% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Tabuk

$125 10.2% 4.3% $5.2

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Tabuk

$109 8.9% 25% $22

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Tabuk

$52 4.2% 40.1% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $343 in Tabuk. 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 98% higher in Tabuk, 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $31.00 in Tabuk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $223 – making Tabuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇸🇦 Tabuk

🕒 Local time

19:22 7:22 PM

04:22 4:22 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

512,629

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Tabuk 12,490 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Tabuk

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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,234 in Tabuk – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,851 in Tabuk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 100% less in Tabuk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $424 in Tabuk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tabuk, where all-in costs run around $1,234, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Tabuk 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 $1,234 in Tabuk to $1,839 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 Tabuk. 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.