Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sa'dah and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Sa'dah: $776 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sa'dah
🇾🇪 Yemen
$776
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $776 per month in Sa'dah vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Sa'dah $776
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,197 per month in Sa'dah vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Sa'dah $1,197
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,619 per month in Sa'dah vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Sa'dah $1,619
  • Nosara $3,818

Sa'dah is about 58% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sa'dah sits 43% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16 YER 1,454
$12.35 ₡5,539
-50.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.58 YER 6,034
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-58.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.79 YER 2,310
$7.52 ₡3,373
30.19%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 YER 459
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 YER 604
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.65 YER 860
$4.41 ₡1,978
-17.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 YER 268
$1.74 ₡780
-34.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 YER 129
$1.31 ₡587
-58.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.28 ₡1,471
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.47 ₡2,004
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.06 YER 486
$1.56 ₡701
32.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 YER 401
$3.02 ₡1,355
-43.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.00 YER 472
$2.51 ₡1,125
-20.32%
Eggs
$3.70 YER 873
$3.57 ₡1,603
3.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.27 YER 4,075
$7.43 ₡3,333
132.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.59 YER 2,027
$10.52 ₡4,717
-18.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.90 YER 4,459
$13.97 ₡6,265
35.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.43 YER 810
$2.35 ₡1,052
45.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 YER 238
$1.61 ₡720
-37.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 YER 513
$4.80 ₡2,152
-54.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.72 YER 405
$1.61 ₡724
6.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 YER 343
$3.80 ₡1,703
-61.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 YER 312
$3.69 ₡1,657
-64.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 YER 297
$1.13 ₡507
11.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 YER 151
$2.66 ₡1,191
-75.94%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.61 YER 615
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 YER 437
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 YER 612
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.66 YER 1,334
$5.18 ₡2,321
9.27%
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
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡504
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.11 YER 971
$2.14 ₡958
92.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 YER 507
$1.57 ₡703
36.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.31 YER 1,725
$8.52 ₡3,823
-14.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 YER 499
$1.52 ₡682
38.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.7K YER 3.9M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-22.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K YER 8.4M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
2.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$108 YER 25.5K
$96.3 ₡43.2K
12.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.58 YER 5,563
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-34.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$101 YER 23.8K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
88.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.76 YER 1,358
$7.89 ₡3,539
-27.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$114 YER 26.9K
$494 ₡221.6K
-76.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,139 YER 504.7K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-81.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.72 YER 10.1K
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-20.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$124 YER 29.4K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
124.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$48.66 YER 11.5K
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-37.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.96 YER 9,662
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-48.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sa'dah
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
Sa'dah
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$311 YER 73.4K
$864 ₡387.3K
-63.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.25
8.62
30.51%

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

Last update for Sa'dah: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Sa'dah
$272
Nosara
$352 29.4% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sa'dah
$232
Nosara
$186 20% $47
Eating Out
Sa'dah
$129
Nosara
$212 64% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Sa'dah
$116
Nosara
$120 3.9% $4.5
Getting Around
Sa'dah
$15 *
Nosara
$87 486% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Sa'dah
$12 *
Nosara
$87 659% $76
Accommodation & Living
Sa'dah
- *
Nosara
$794

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 177% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Sa'dah versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $352 – making Sa'dah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇾🇪 Sa'dah
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
06:59 6:59 AM
21:59 9:59 PM
9 h behind Sa'dah
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
49,422
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to YER – Yemeni Rial Converter

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 265 YER (1,000 YER = 3.77 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sa'dah Nosara 13,700 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sa'dah
  • 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
Sa'dah vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sa'dah and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $776 in Sa'dah, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 137% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Sa'dah compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,163 per month in Sa'dah 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 $26.00 in Sa'dah 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 29% 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 $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sa'dah, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Sa'dah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Sa'dah and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $776 in Sa'dah to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Sa'dah 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 Sa'dah and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Sa'dah. 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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