Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stara Zagora and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Stara Zagora: $864 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Stara Zagora
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Stara Zagora Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Stara Zagora

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$864

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $864 per month in Stara Zagora vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Stara Zagora $864
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,394 per month in Stara Zagora vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Stara Zagora $1,394
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,924 per month in Stara Zagora vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Stara Zagora $1,924
Nosara $3,712

Stara Zagora is about 53% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Stara Zagora sits 36% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.36 BGN 18.13

$12.22 ₡5,509

-15.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 BGN 88.8

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-15.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 BGN 15.38

$7.54 ₡3,399

16.58%

Cappuccino

$2.33 BGN 4.08

$4.31 ₡1,941

-45.94%

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

$1.51 BGN 2.65

$1.72 ₡773

-12.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$1.35 ₡608

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 BGN 4.02

$3.24 ₡1,459

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 BGN 3.49

$4.48 ₡2,018

-55.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.13

$1.57 ₡707

14.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$3.17 ₡1,429

-72.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 BGN 2.54

$2.42 ₡1,091

-40.08%

Eggs

$2.37 BGN 4.14

$3.57 ₡1,609

-33.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 BGN 16.22

$7.43 ₡3,349

24.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 BGN 11.58

$10.42 ₡4,697

-36.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 BGN 15.04

$13.66 ₡6,156

-37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 BGN 2.31

$2.32 ₡1,044

-43.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 BGN 3.00

$1.61 ₡728

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 3.08

$4.74 ₡2,138

-62.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.46

$1.66 ₡747

19.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BGN 1.77

$3.72 ₡1,679

-72.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 BGN 1.33

$3.57 ₡1,611

-78.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 BGN 0.95

$1.10 ₡497

-50.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BGN 1.11

$2.55 ₡1,149

-74.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 BGN 6.64

$4.95 ₡2,232

-23.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 BGN 8.82

$20.01 ₡9,020

-74.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 BGN 2.00

$2.79 ₡1,256

-59.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 BGN 2.99

$3.53 ₡1,589

-51.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.55

$1.19 ₡537

-25.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.61 BGN 32.56

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-74.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 BGN 2.29

$2.24 ₡1,011

-41.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 BGN 1.12

$1.55 ₡701

-58.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.52 BGN 20.16

$8.86 ₡3,993

30.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 BGN 2.81

$1.57 ₡708

1.91%

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

$30.6K BGN 53.6K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

40.43%

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

$22.3K BGN 39.1K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-35.48%

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

$93.2 BGN 163

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-0.24%

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

$14.82 BGN 25.93

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-57.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.33 BGN 21.57

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-76.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.49 BGN 46.36

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-62.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.22 BGN 37.14

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-40.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 BGN 15.16

$7.84 ₡3,535

10.46%

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

$234 BGN 410

$490 ₡220.7K

-52.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,272 BGN 3,975

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-80.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.04 BGN 54.3

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-42.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 BGN 33.62

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-65.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 BGN 112

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-19.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.7 BGN 90.5

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 BGN 522

$786 ₡354.3K

-62.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 BGN 438

$780 ₡351.6K

-67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 BGN 865

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-87.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 BGN 692

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-71.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,449 BGN 2,536

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-79.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 BGN 1,861

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-11.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 BGN 1,852

$876 ₡395.0K

20.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

8.62

-65.31%

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

Last update for Stara Zagora: 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

Stara Zagora

$250 28.7%

Nosara

$780 43% 211% $529

Groceries & Markets

Stara Zagora

$196 22.4%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 78.3% $154

Eating Out

Stara Zagora

$162 18.6%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 29.1% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stara Zagora

$120 13.8%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 49.6% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Stara Zagora

$75 8.5%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 61.3% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Stara Zagora

$44 5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 98.8% $43

Getting Around

Stara Zagora

$27 3.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 226% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in Stara Zagora 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 21% higher in Stara Zagora, 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 $51.0 in Stara Zagora versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $350 – making Stara Zagora the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Stara Zagora

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

13:16 1:16 PM

04:16 4:16 AM

9 h behind Stara Zagora

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,266

4,912

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Stara Zagora Nosara 10,950 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Stara Zagora
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

Stara Zagora vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $864 in Stara Zagora, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 113% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,296 per month in Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 287% less in Stara Zagora. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $234 per month in Stara Zagora and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stara Zagora, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Stara Zagora 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 $864 in Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora. 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.