Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabah Al Salem and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Sabah Al Salem: $1,404 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

69

Cost of Living Index in Sabah Al Salem
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Sabah Al Salem Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Sabah Al Salem

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,404

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem $1,404
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $2,448 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem $2,448
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $3,492 per month in Sabah Al Salem vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Sabah Al Salem $3,492
Nosara $3,712

Sabah Al Salem is about 24% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sabah Al Salem and Nosara sit above the global median – Sabah Al Salem by 5%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.29 KWD 2.58

$12.22 ₡5,509

-32.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 KWD 21.87

$60.2 ₡27.1K

17.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.36 KWD 2.91

$7.54 ₡3,399

24.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 KWD 0.99

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 KWD 0.99

Cappuccino

$6.51 KWD 2.02

$4.31 ₡1,941

51.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$1.72 ₡773

-71.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KWD 0.16

$1.35 ₡608

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 KWD 0.59

$1.57 ₡707

21.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$3.17 ₡1,429

-58.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 KWD 0.66

$2.42 ₡1,091

-12.40%

Eggs

$3.04 KWD 0.94

$3.57 ₡1,609

-14.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 KWD 2.28

$7.43 ₡3,349

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 KWD 1.73

$10.42 ₡4,697

-46.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.19

$13.66 ₡6,156

-24.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 KWD 0.74

$2.32 ₡1,044

3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$1.61 ₡728

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.40

$4.74 ₡2,138

-73.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.66 ₡747

-10.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.41

$3.72 ₡1,679

-64.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 KWD 0.28

$3.57 ₡1,611

-74.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.10 ₡497

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$2.55 ₡1,149

-81.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.62 KWD 1.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KWD 0.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 KWD 0.78

$4.95 ₡2,232

-49.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KWD 0.25

$1.19 ₡537

-33.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 KWD 35.09

$72.1 ₡32.5K

56.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 KWD 1.14

$2.24 ₡1,011

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.78 KWD 0.86

$1.55 ₡701

79.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.47 KWD 4.49

$8.86 ₡3,993

63.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.57 ₡708

-78.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.8K KWD 5,851

$21.8K ₡9.8M

-13.58%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.8K KWD 5,837

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-45.72%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$38.57 KWD 11.97

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-58.73%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$24.68 KWD 7.66

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-29.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 KWD 12.31

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-23.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$131 KWD 40.69

$71.4 ₡32.2K

83.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.05 KWD 12.13

$35.44 ₡16.0K

10.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.58

$7.84 ₡3,535

46.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$283 KWD 87.8

$490 ₡220.7K

-42.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,527 KWD 2,337

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-36.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.19 KWD 11.86

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.92 KWD 12.09

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-30.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 KWD 30.47

$79.3 ₡35.7K

23.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 KWD 27.67

$78.9 ₡35.6K

13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 KWD 246

$786 ₡354.3K

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 KWD 173

$780 ₡351.6K

-28.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 KWD 549

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-54.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 KWD 411

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-5.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 KWD 919

$876 ₡395.0K

237.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

8.62

-24.25%

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

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sabah Al Salem

$557 38.9%

Nosara

$780 43% 40% $223

Groceries & Markets

Sabah Al Salem

$187 13.1%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 86.6% $162

Eating Out

Sabah Al Salem

$176 12.3%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 18.7% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Sabah Al Salem

$154 10.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 43.5% $67

Getting Around

Sabah Al Salem

$134 9.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 35.1% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Sabah Al Salem

$119 8.3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 1.2% $1.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sabah Al Salem

$103 7.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 75% $77

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $792 in Sabah Al Salem versus $786 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 238% higher in Sabah Al Salem, 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 $70.0 in Sabah Al Salem versus $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Sabah Al Salem vs $350 in Nosara – so Sabah Al Salem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇼 Sabah Al Salem

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

06:55 6:55 AM

21:55 9:55 PM

9 h behind Sabah Al Salem

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,818

4,912

💱 Currency

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 KWD = 3.22 USD

1 KWD = 2.87 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KWD – Kuwaiti Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇼 Kuwaiti Dinar (د.ك)

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.311 KWD (1 KWD = 3.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.348 KWD (1 KWD = 2.87 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to KWD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sabah Al Salem Nosara 13,410 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Sabah Al Salem
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

Sabah Al Salem vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,404 in Sabah Al Salem, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabah Al Salem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Sabah Al Salem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Sabah Al Salem and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sabah Al Salem, where all-in costs run around $1,404, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Sabah Al Salem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,404 in Sabah Al Salem to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Sabah Al Salem. 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.