Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ragusa and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ragusa: $1,517 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Ragusa
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,517
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,517 per month in Ragusa vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ragusa $1,517
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Ragusa vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ragusa $2,312
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,107 per month in Ragusa vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ragusa $3,107
  • Nosara $3,818

Ragusa is about 17% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Ragusa and Nosara sit above the global median – Ragusa by 12%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.98 €15.10
$12.35 ₡5,539
37.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.8 €49.59
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-8.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.13 €9.90
$7.52 ₡3,373
48.01%
Cappuccino
$2.06 €1.84
$4.41 ₡1,978
-53.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.74 ₡780
25.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 €0.83
$1.31 ₡587
-29.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 €5.06
$3.28 ₡1,471
73.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93 €3.49
$4.47 ₡2,004
-12.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.56 ₡701
-18.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.02 ₡1,355
-38.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.44 €2.17
$2.51 ₡1,125
-2.79%
Eggs
$2.85 €2.53
$3.57 ₡1,603
-20.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.46 €12.87
$7.43 ₡3,333
94.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.74 €10.44
$10.52 ₡4,717
11.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.60 €14.77
$13.97 ₡6,265
18.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.65
$2.35 ₡1,052
26.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.10 €1.86
$1.61 ₡720
30.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 €1.52
$4.80 ₡2,152
-64.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$1.61 ₡724
55.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.71 €1.52
$3.80 ₡1,703
-55.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 €1.31
$3.69 ₡1,657
-59.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.13 ₡507
53.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 €0.38
$2.66 ₡1,191
-83.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.11
$5.18 ₡2,321
32.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 €6.82
$19.88 ₡8,916
-61.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.87
$2.90 ₡1,300
-27.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.59
$3.63 ₡1,626
-19.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 €1.52
$1.12 ₡504
52.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.40 €3.03
$2.14 ₡958
58.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 €1.01
$1.57 ₡703
-27.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.63 €33.47
$8.52 ₡3,823
341.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.52 ₡682
30.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K €32.8K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
70.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9K €31.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
0.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 €203
$96.3 ₡43.2K
137.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.19 €8.17
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-74.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.39 €23.47
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-50.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.09 €37.44
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-41.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.37 €11.90
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-61.70%
Cinema Ticket
$8.34 €7.42
$7.89 ₡3,539
5.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$167 €149
$494 ₡221.6K
-66.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,483 €4,877
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-53.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 €62.9
$53.9 ₡24.2K
31.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.88 €19.47
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-60.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 €75.4
$77.9 ₡34.9K
8.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 €112
$79.6 ₡35.7K
58.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$439 €390
$788 ₡353.4K
-44.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$496 €441
$794 ₡356.2K
-37.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$939 €836
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-76.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$886 €788
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-37.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,242 €1,105
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-82.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$960 €854
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-21.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ragusa
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,520 €1,352
$864 ₡387.3K
76.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.39
8.62
-60.67%

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

Last update for Ragusa: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ragusa
$496
Nosara
$794 60.2% $298
Groceries & Markets
Ragusa
$303
Nosara
$352 16.3% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ragusa
$264
Nosara
$186 29.7% $78
Eating Out
Ragusa
$243
Nosara
$212 12.7% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Ragusa
$137
Nosara
$120 12.1% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Ragusa
$59
Nosara
$87 48.7% $29
Getting Around
Ragusa
$16 *
Nosara
$87 447% $71

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Ragusa versus $788 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 76% higher in Ragusa, 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 $56.0 in Ragusa versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $352 – making Ragusa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Ragusa
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
09:10 9:10 AM
01:10 1:10 AM
8 h behind Ragusa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
73,735
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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
  • Ragusa Nosara 10,250 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ragusa
  • 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
Ragusa vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ragusa and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,517 in Ragusa, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Ragusa compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,276 per month in Ragusa and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ragusa and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ragusa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Ragusa and $61.0 in Nosara. 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 16% 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 $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ragusa, where all-in costs run around $1,517, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Ragusa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ragusa and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,517 in Ragusa to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ragusa 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 Ragusa and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Ragusa. 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.

Ragusa vs other spots: cost of living compared

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