Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Siena and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Siena and in Nosara: $1,836 and $1,839 a month, rent and utilities included.

Siena
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,836
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,836 per month in Siena vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Siena $1,836
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,784 per month in Siena vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Siena $2,784
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,733 per month in Siena vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Siena $3,733
  • Nosara $3,818

Siena and Nosara have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Siena
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.36 €13.66
$12.35 ₡5,539
24.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.9 €80.9
$61.2 ₡27.4K
48.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.54 €12.05
$7.52 ₡3,373
80.05%
Cappuccino
$1.89 €1.68
$4.41 ₡1,978
-57.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 €2.63
$1.74 ₡780
70.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.31 ₡587
7.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.19 €5.51
$3.28 ₡1,471
88.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.59 €4.98
$4.47 ₡2,004
25.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Siena
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.56 ₡701
-7.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.24 €2.00
$3.02 ₡1,355
-25.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 €1.46
$2.51 ₡1,125
-34.66%
Eggs
$4.03 €3.58
$3.57 ₡1,603
12.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.54 €12.04
$7.43 ₡3,333
82.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.93 €10.61
$10.52 ₡4,717
13.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.56 €19.18
$13.97 ₡6,265
54.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.57 €2.29
$2.35 ₡1,052
9.36%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$1.61 ₡720
33.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.13 €2.79
$4.80 ₡2,152
-34.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.16 €2.81
$1.61 ₡724
96.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.62
$3.80 ₡1,703
-52.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 €1.40
$3.69 ₡1,657
-57.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.13 ₡507
21.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 €0.46
$2.66 ₡1,191
-80.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.66 €5.93
$5.18 ₡2,321
28.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.53 €5.81
$19.88 ₡8,916
-67.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 €1.34
$2.90 ₡1,300
-47.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 €2.33
$3.63 ₡1,626
-27.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Siena
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.12 ₡504
73.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.73 €37.12
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-42.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.45 €5.74
$2.14 ₡958
201.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.57 ₡703
-11.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.32 €28.74
$8.52 ₡3,823
279.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 €1.85
$1.52 ₡682
36.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K €24.6K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
27.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K €31.6K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
2.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Siena
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 €173
$96.3 ₡43.2K
101.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.47 €11.98
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-62.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.20 €27.75
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-41.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Siena
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.4 €62.7
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-1.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.30 €10.05
$7.89 ₡3,539
43.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Siena
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €513
$494 ₡221.6K
16.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K €13.1K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
24.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Siena
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.0 €74.7
$53.9 ₡24.2K
55.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.04 €32.95
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-33.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.9 €85.3
$77.9 ₡34.9K
23.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 €95.0
$79.6 ₡35.7K
34.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Siena
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,138 €1,013
$788 ₡353.4K
44.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$725 €645
$794 ₡356.2K
-8.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,720 €1,530
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-56.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 €998
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-20.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,381 €3,897
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-36.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,930 €3,495
$1,224 ₡549.0K
221.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Siena
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,882 €1,674
$864 ₡387.3K
117.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.29
8.62
-61.83%

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

Last update for Siena: 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
Siena
$725
Nosara
$794 9.6% $69
Groceries & Markets
Siena
$325
Nosara
$352 8.5% $28
Eating Out
Siena
$246
Nosara
$212 13.8% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Siena
$239
Nosara
$186 22.3% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Siena
$146
Nosara
$120 17.6% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Siena
$93
Nosara
$87 6.1% $5.7
Getting Around
Siena
$63
Nosara
$87 38.5% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,138 in Siena 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 118% higher in Siena. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Siena versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $325 in Siena vs $352 in Nosara – so Siena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Siena
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
20:00 8:00 PM
12:00 12:00 PM
8 h behind Siena
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
53,903
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Siena Nosara 9,810 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Siena
  • 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
Siena vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What salary covers living expenses in Siena compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,754 per month in Siena 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 Siena and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Siena, 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 $91.0 in Siena and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Siena and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 74% less in Siena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Siena, where all-in costs run around $1,836, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Siena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Siena and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,836 in Siena to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Siena 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 Siena and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Siena. 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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