Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Zatec

For one person, living is cheaper in Zatec: $1,230 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Zatec
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
$1,230
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Zatec

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,230 in Zatec, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Zatec $1,230

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,888 in Zatec, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Zatec $1,888

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,546 in Zatec, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Zatec $2,546

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$6.94 Kč 150
77.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$18.15 Kč 392
237.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$9.23 Kč 200
-18.53%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$3.02 Kč 65.2
46.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$0.70 Kč 15.15
148.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$0.90 Kč 19.44
45.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$2.23 Kč 48.15
47.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$2.73 Kč 59.0
63.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$0.81 Kč 17.51
92.59%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.34 Kč 29.02
125.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.28 Kč 49.23
10.09%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$2.49 Kč 53.9
43.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$5.64 Kč 122
31.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$5.39 Kč 116
95.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$6.67 Kč 144
109.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$1.28 Kč 27.65
83.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.63 Kč 35.27
-1.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$2.13 Kč 45.98
125.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$3.26 Kč 70.5
-50.61%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$0.95 Kč 20.64
300.00%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.10 Kč 23.72
235.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.61 Kč 34.71
-29.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$0.55 Kč 11.91
383.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$6.06 Kč 131
-14.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$5.59 Kč 121
255.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$0.89 Kč 19.33
225.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$1.70 Kč 36.68
113.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$0.34 Kč 7.26
229.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$24.90 Kč 539
191.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$2.69 Kč 58.1
-20.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$1.87 Kč 40.52
-16.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$16.32 Kč 353
-47.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$1.86 Kč 40.20
-18.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$31.4K Kč 678.9K
-31.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$29.9K Kč 647.6K
15.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$297 Kč 6,424
-67.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$22.14 Kč 479
62.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$18.89 Kč 409
183.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$49.34 Kč 1,067
45.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$18.33 Kč 396
90.45%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$12.79 Kč 277
-38.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$726 Kč 15.7K
-31.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$11.5K Kč 249.0K
3.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$85.3 Kč 1,845
-36.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$36.89 Kč 798
50.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$46.22 Kč 1,000
68.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$122 Kč 2,628
-34.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$351 Kč 7,589
124.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$323 Kč 6,991
145.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$1,272 Kč 27.5K
209.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$855 Kč 18.5K
66.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$4,790 Kč 103.6K
44.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$3,585 Kč 77.5K
-65.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Zatec
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$1,163 Kč 25.2K
-25.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
4.67
84.58%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Zatec: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Zatec
$323 59.3% $471
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Zatec
$183 48.2% $170
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Zatec
$142 32.8% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Zatec
$338 82% $152
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Zatec
$130 8.7% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Zatec
$75 14.3% $12
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Zatec
$38 56% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $351 in Zatec. 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 35% higher in Zatec, 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 $18.00 in Zatec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $183 – making Zatec the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇨🇿 Zatec
🕒 Local time
23:04 11:04 PM
07:04 7:04 AM
8 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
19,522
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 21.63 CZK (100 CZK = 4.62 USD). 1 EUR = 24.31 CZK (100 CZK = 4.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Zatec 9,800 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Zatec

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 Zatec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Zatec compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,230 in Zatec – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Zatec?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,845 in Zatec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Zatec?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zatec, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Zatec?
Public transport costs about 192% less in Zatec. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Zatec?
Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $726 in Zatec. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zatec, where all-in costs run around $1,230, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Zatec 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 Zatec?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,230 in Zatec to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Zatec 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 Zatec?
If budget matters most, go with Zatec. 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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