Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Orhei: $361 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Orhei
🇲🇩 Moldova
$361
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Orhei and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Orhei and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $361 per month in Orhei vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Orhei $361
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $588 per month in Orhei vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Orhei $588
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $816 per month in Orhei vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Orhei $816
  • Nosara $3,818

Orhei is about 80% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Orhei sits 73% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.28 MDL 200
$12.35 ₡5,539
-8.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.16 MDL 394
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-63.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 MDL 126
$7.52 ₡3,373
-5.72%
Cappuccino
$1.38 MDL 24.58
$4.41 ₡1,978
-68.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MDL 13.87
$1.74 ₡780
-55.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 MDL 8.34
$1.31 ₡587
-64.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.14 MDL 20.21
$3.28 ₡1,471
-65.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 MDL 24.66
$4.47 ₡2,004
-68.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 MDL 17.61
$1.56 ₡701
-36.54%
White Bread (500g)
$0.33 MDL 5.85
$3.02 ₡1,355
-89.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$2.51 ₡1,125
-
Eggs
$1.96 MDL 34.87
$3.57 ₡1,603
-45.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$7.43 ₡3,333
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$10.52 ₡4,717
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.97 ₡6,265
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.35 ₡1,052
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 MDL 34.18
$1.61 ₡720
19.25%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$4.80 ₡2,152
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$1.61 ₡724
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 MDL 11.92
$3.80 ₡1,703
-82.37%
Onion (1kg)
-
$3.69 ₡1,657
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.13 ₡507
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 MDL 9.21
$2.66 ₡1,191
-80.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$5.18 ₡2,321
-
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
-
🚌 Getting Around
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 MDL 2.84
$1.12 ₡504
-85.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.11 MDL 19.70
$2.14 ₡958
-48.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.57 ₡703
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.52 ₡3,823
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 MDL 29.76
$1.52 ₡682
10.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K MDL 363.9K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-40.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.2 MDL 1,052
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-38.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.67 MDL 118
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-81.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.97 MDL 177
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-81.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.37 MDL 59.8
$7.89 ₡3,539
-57.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$494 ₡221.6K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.84 MDL 601
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-37.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.59 MDL 597
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-39.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 MDL 1,904
$77.9 ₡34.9K
37.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.84 MDL 601
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-57.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$788 ₡353.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$794 ₡356.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Orhei
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
8.62
-

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

Last update for Orhei: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Eating Out
Orhei
$142
Nosara
$212 49.6% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Orhei
$94
Nosara
$120 28% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Orhei
$76
Nosara
$186 145% $110
Groceries & Markets
Orhei
$41 *
Nosara
$352 762% $311
Sport & Entertainment
Orhei
$6.7 *
Nosara
$87 1198% $81
Getting Around
Orhei
$1.8 *
Nosara
$87 4878% $85
Accommodation & Living
Orhei
- *
Nosara
$794

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 $22.00 in Orhei versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $41.00 vs $352 – making Orhei the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇩 Orhei
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
08:03 8:03 AM
23:03 11:03 PM
9 h behind Orhei
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,918
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 17.76 MDL (100 MDL = 5.63 USD). 1 EUR = 19.97 MDL (100 MDL = 5.01 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Orhei Nosara 10,960 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Orhei
  • Nosara

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
Orhei vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Orhei and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $361 in Orhei, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 410% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Orhei compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $541 per month in Orhei and $2,758 in Nosara. 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 $22.00 in Orhei and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Orhei or Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $361 in Orhei and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 410%.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Orhei, where all-in costs run around $361, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Orhei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Orhei and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $361 in Orhei to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Orhei or Nosara 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 Orhei and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Orhei. 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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