Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabuk and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Tabuk: $1,234 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Tabuk
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Tabuk Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Tabuk

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,234

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,234 per month in Tabuk vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Tabuk $1,234
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tabuk vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Tabuk $1,834
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,434 per month in Tabuk vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Tabuk $2,434
Nosara $3,818

Tabuk is about 33% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tabuk sits 9% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 SAR 28.66

$12.35 ₡5,539

-38.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.43 SAR 118

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-48.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.22

$7.52 ₡3,373

3.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

Cappuccino

$3.21 SAR 12.05

$4.41 ₡1,978

-27.21%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.93

$1.74 ₡780

-55.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$1.31 ₡587

-80.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

$1.56 ₡701

28.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$3.02 ₡1,355

-69.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$2.51 ₡1,125

9.16%

Eggs

$2.87 SAR 10.77

$3.57 ₡1,603

-19.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 SAR 46.97

$7.43 ₡3,333

68.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 SAR 25.45

$10.52 ₡4,717

-35.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 SAR 47.46

$13.97 ₡6,265

-9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.48

$2.35 ₡1,052

-15.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.61 ₡720

3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$4.80 ₡2,152

-63.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.31

$1.61 ₡724

37.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$3.80 ₡1,703

-55.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$3.69 ₡1,657

-43.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$1.13 ₡507

68.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$2.66 ₡1,191

-77.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 SAR 24.65

$5.18 ₡2,321

26.83%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.12 ₡504

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.33 SAR 136

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-49.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.76

$2.14 ₡958

21.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.81

$1.57 ₡703

15.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$8.52 ₡3,823

57.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$1.52 ₡682

-56.58%

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

$43.9K SAR 164.7K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

103.14%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.1K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-39.70%

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

$102 SAR 385

$96.3 ₡43.2K

6.42%

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

$37.35 SAR 140

$35.89 ₡16.1K

4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$53.6 ₡24.0K

43.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.2 SAR 308

$71.6 ₡32.1K

14.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$7.89 ₡3,539

71.48%

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

$424 SAR 1,592

$494 ₡221.6K

-14.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,651 SAR 32.5K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-27.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.90 SAR 157

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-22.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 SAR 204

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 SAR 357

$77.9 ₡34.9K

22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 SAR 326

$79.6 ₡35.7K

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,286

$788 ₡353.4K

-56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,427

$794 ₡356.2K

-52.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 SAR 2,396

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-83.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,308

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-56.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 SAR 8,848

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-65.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,359 SAR 5,100

$1,224 ₡549.0K

11.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,712 SAR 6,423

$864 ₡387.3K

98.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

8.62

-35.73%

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

Last update for Tabuk: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tabuk

$380 30.8%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 109% $414

Groceries & Markets

Tabuk

$223 18.1%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 57.7% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tabuk

$217 17.6%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 14.3% $31

Eating Out

Tabuk

$127 10.3%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 66.6% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Tabuk

$125 10.2%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 4.2% $5.2

Sport & Entertainment

Tabuk

$109 8.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 20% $22

Getting Around

Tabuk

$52 4.2%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 66.8% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $343 in Tabuk 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 98% higher in Tabuk, 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 $31.00 in Tabuk versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $352 – making Tabuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Tabuk

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

18:50 6:50 PM

9 h behind Tabuk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

512,629

4,912

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 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).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tabuk Nosara 12,490 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Tabuk
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

Tabuk vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,234 in Tabuk, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,851 per month in Tabuk 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 Tabuk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 100% less in Tabuk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Tabuk 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 Tabuk, where all-in costs run around $1,234, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Tabuk 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 $1,234 in Tabuk 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 Tabuk. 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.