Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Semey and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Semey: $712 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Semey
Learn more

Semey Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Semey

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$712

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $712 per month in Semey vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Semey $712
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,147 per month in Semey vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Semey $1,147
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,581 per month in Semey vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Semey $1,581
Nosara $3,818

Semey is about 61% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Semey sits 47% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ₸2,261

$12.35 ₡5,539

-59.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.88 ₸9,891

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-64.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ₸2,477

$7.52 ₡3,373

-27.13%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₸764

$4.41 ₡1,978

-61.68%

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

$0.79 ₸357

$1.74 ₡780

-54.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₸216

$1.31 ₡587

-63.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ₸384

$3.28 ₡1,471

-74.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₸621

$4.47 ₡2,004

-69.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 ₸449

$1.56 ₡701

-36.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₸165

$3.02 ₡1,355

-87.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ₸839

$2.51 ₡1,125

-25.90%

Eggs

$1.51 ₸681

$3.57 ₡1,603

-57.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 ₸2,424

$7.43 ₡3,333

-27.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₸1,691

$10.52 ₡4,717

-64.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.28 ₸2,388

$13.97 ₡6,265

-62.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₸547

$2.35 ₡1,052

-48.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 ₸782

$1.61 ₡720

7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ₸821

$4.80 ₡2,152

-62.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 ₸756

$1.61 ₡724

3.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 ₸189

$3.80 ₡1,703

-88.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₸255

$3.69 ₡1,657

-84.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ₸595

$1.13 ₡507

16.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸445

$2.66 ₡1,191

-62.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 ₸1,134

$5.18 ₡2,321

-51.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 ₸3,221

$19.88 ₡8,916

-64.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₸617

$2.90 ₡1,300

-52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₸993

$3.63 ₡1,626

-39.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₸104

$1.12 ₡504

-79.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.26 ₸7,802

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-76.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₸588

$2.14 ₡958

-39.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ₸519

$1.57 ₡703

-26.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 ₸2,949

$8.52 ₡3,823

-23.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 ₸305

$1.52 ₡682

-55.26%

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

$25.4K ₸11.5M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

17.32%

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

$25.9K ₸11.7M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-25.04%

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

$32.84 ₸14.8K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-65.89%

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

$9.06 ₸4,095

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-74.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.03 ₸8,604

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-64.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.09 ₸19.0K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-41.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.97 ₸4,959

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-68.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ₸2,058

$7.89 ₡3,539

-42.33%

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

$135 ₸61.1K

$494 ₡221.6K

-72.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,484 ₸2.0M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-62.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.65 ₸13.0K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-46.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 ₸11.4K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-54.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ₸44.3K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ₸33.5K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ₸153.6K

$788 ₡353.4K

-56.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 ₸103.8K

$794 ₡356.2K

-71.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₸278.1K

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-84.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ₸220.1K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-65.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,094 ₸494.4K

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-84.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$869 ₸392.9K

$1,224 ₡549.0K

-29.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

8.62

123.32%

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

Last update for Semey: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Semey

$230 32.3%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 246% $565

Groceries & Markets

Semey

$155 21.7%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 128% $198

Clothing & Footwear

Semey

$102 14.3%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 18.1% $18

Eating Out

Semey

$89 12.5%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 139% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Semey

$61 8.6%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 205% $125

Sport & Entertainment

Semey

$51 7.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 70.6% $36

Getting Around

Semey

$25 3.5%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 246% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $340 in Semey 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Semey versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $352 – making Semey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Semey

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

18:27 6:27 PM

06:27 6:27 AM

12 h behind Semey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

310,456

4,912

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 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).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Semey Nosara 13,160 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Semey
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

Semey vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $712 in Semey, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 158% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,068 per month in Semey and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 321% less in Semey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Semey and $494 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 Semey, where all-in costs run around $712, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Semey 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 $712 in Semey to $1,839 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 Semey. 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.