Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ourem and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ourem: $1,568 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ourem
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,568
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ourem 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 Ourem and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,568 per month in Ourem vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ourem $1,568
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $2,326 per month in Ourem vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ourem $2,326
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Ourem vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ourem $3,084
  • Nosara $3,814

Ourem is about 15% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ourem and Nosara sit above the global median – Ourem by 16%, Nosara by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.00 €11.56
$12.34 ₡5,535
5.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.3 €46.52
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-14.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.89 €7.91
$7.76 ₡3,481
14.56%
Cappuccino
$1.27 €1.13
$4.44 ₡1,992
-71.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 €1.44
$1.79 ₡803
-9.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.09
$1.29 ₡580
-5.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.82 €2.51
$3.24 ₡1,451
-12.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 €2.51
$4.43 ₡1,985
-36.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 €0.94
$1.55 ₡696
-31.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.14
$3.08 ₡1,380
-21.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$2.53 ₡1,133
-46.25%
Eggs
$3.67 €3.26
$3.45 ₡1,546
6.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.09 €8.09
$7.32 ₡3,284
24.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.62 €6.77
$10.24 ₡4,594
-25.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.89 €9.69
$14.10 ₡6,326
-22.77%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 €1.64
$2.29 ₡1,027
-19.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.23 €1.09
$1.64 ₡737
-25.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.11 €0.98
$4.79 ₡2,149
-76.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.69 €1.50
$1.64 ₡735
3.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$3.85 ₡1,727
-48.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 €1.46
$3.75 ₡1,681
-56.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.64 €1.46
$1.09 ₡488
50.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 €0.56
$2.59 ₡1,160
-75.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.29 €5.60
$5.12 ₡2,295
22.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.45 €3.07
$19.92 ₡8,931
-82.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.12
$2.80 ₡1,255
-55.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$3.52 ₡1,580
-60.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 €1.99
$1.22 ₡549
83.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.44 €36.86
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-43.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.98 €3.54
$2.17 ₡973
83.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.75 €0.67
$1.56 ₡698
-51.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.62 €14.78
$8.67 ₡3,886
91.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.55 ₡697
34.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K €30.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-1.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €33.4K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-3.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 €98.1
$94.8 ₡42.5K
16.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.60 €19.21
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-40.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.43 €31.52
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-33.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.72 €36.22
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-44.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.43 €14.61
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-53.89%
Cinema Ticket
$8.74 €7.78
$7.91 ₡3,548
10.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$613 €545
$490 ₡219.9K
25.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,221 €5,534
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-47.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.9 €67.5
$54.8 ₡24.6K
38.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79 €39.84
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-19.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.5 €74.3
$80.4 ₡36.0K
3.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 €92.6
$77.9 ₡34.9K
33.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 €850
$801 ₡359.1K
19.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$747 €664
$790 ₡354.1K
-5.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 €1,342
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-62.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,188 €1,057
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-15.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,958 €2,631
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-58.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,243 €1,995
$1,236 ₡554.3K
81.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ourem
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,352 €1,203
$887 ₡397.6K
52.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.54
8.62
-58.93%

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

Last update for Ourem: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ourem
$747
Nosara
$790 5.7% $43
Groceries & Markets
Ourem
$221
Nosara
$350 57.9% $128
Eating Out
Ourem
$177
Nosara
$213 20.2% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ourem
$167
Nosara
$184 10% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Ourem
$139
Nosara
$121 12.8% $18
Getting Around
Ourem
$58
Nosara
$89 52.6% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Ourem
$58
Nosara
$90 54% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Ourem versus $801 in Nosara. 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 53% higher in Ourem, 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 $52.0 in Ourem versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $350 – making Ourem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Ourem
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
22:24 10:24 PM
15:24 3:24 PM
7 h behind Ourem
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
44,538
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Ourem Nosara 8,200 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ourem
  • 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
Ourem vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ourem and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,568 in Ourem, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Ourem compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,352 per month in Ourem and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ourem and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ourem, 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 Ourem and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 78% less in Ourem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ourem and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $613 per month in Ourem and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ourem, where all-in costs run around $1,568, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Ourem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ourem and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,568 in Ourem to $1,835 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ourem 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 Ourem and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Ourem. 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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