Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Trieste and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Trieste and in Nosara: $1,890 and $1,837 a month, rent and utilities included.

Trieste
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,890
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,890 per month in Trieste vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Trieste $1,890
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Trieste vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Trieste $2,892
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $3,893 per month in Trieste vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Trieste $3,893
  • Nosara $3,712

Trieste costs about 3% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Trieste and Nosara sit above the global median – Trieste by 41%, Nosara by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.49 €20.07
$12.22 ₡5,509
84.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.6 €64.8
$60.2 ₡27.1K
20.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.19 €11.77
$7.54 ₡3,399
74.93%
Cappuccino
$2.15 €1.92
$4.31 ₡1,941
-50.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 €3.43
$1.72 ₡773
123.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 €1.96
$1.35 ₡608
62.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.79 €5.16
$3.24 ₡1,459
78.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €5.13
$4.48 ₡2,018
28.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 €2.02
$1.57 ₡707
43.95%
White Bread (500g)
$3.12 €2.79
$3.17 ₡1,429
-1.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.84 €3.43
$2.42 ₡1,091
58.68%
Eggs
$4.16 €3.71
$3.57 ₡1,609
16.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.20 €13.57
$7.43 ₡3,349
104.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.70 €10.44
$10.42 ₡4,697
12.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.61 €15.71
$13.66 ₡6,156
28.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 €2.48
$2.32 ₡1,044
19.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.61 ₡728
31.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.03 €2.71
$4.74 ₡2,138
-36.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.28 €3.82
$1.66 ₡747
157.83%
Potato (1kg)
$2.35 €2.10
$3.72 ₡1,679
-36.83%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 €2.28
$3.57 ₡1,611
-28.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 €2.04
$1.10 ₡497
108.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 €0.70
$2.55 ₡1,149
-69.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.65 €5.93
$4.95 ₡2,232
34.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.90 €7.05
$20.01 ₡9,020
-60.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.58
$2.79 ₡1,256
-36.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 €2.19
$3.53 ₡1,589
-30.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.19 ₡537
38.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.88 €39.15
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-39.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.65 €7.72
$2.24 ₡1,011
286.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.55 ₡701
17.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.13 €30.46
$8.86 ₡3,993
285.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 €1.95
$1.57 ₡708
38.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.0K €33.0K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
69.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K €32.3K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
4.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 €197
$93.5 ₡42.1K
136.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.88 €8.81
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-71.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.44 €28.06
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-38.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 €45.38
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-28.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.32 €36.87
$35.44 ₡16.0K
16.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01 €8.04
$7.84 ₡3,535
14.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 €708
$490 ₡220.7K
62.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K €10.5K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-1.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 €99.0
$53.5 ₡24.1K
107.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39 €31.58
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-36.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 €102
$79.3 ₡35.7K
44.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €120
$78.9 ₡35.6K
69.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$818 €730
$786 ₡354.3K
4.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 €583
$780 ₡351.6K
-16.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,389 €1,240
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-64.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,038 €927
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-26.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,619 €3,229
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-48.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,143 €1,912
$1,201 ₡541.3K
78.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Trieste
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,904 €1,699
$876 ₡395.0K
117.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.26
8.62
-62.18%

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

Last update for Trieste: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Trieste
$654
Nosara
$780 19.3% $126
Groceries & Markets
Trieste
$363
Nosara
$350 3.8% $14
Eating Out
Trieste
$310
Nosara
$209 32.4% $100
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trieste
$262
Nosara
$180 31.3% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Trieste
$178
Nosara
$120 32.2% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Trieste
$69
Nosara
$87 26.4% $18
Getting Around
Trieste
$68
Nosara
$87 27.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $818 in Trieste 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 117% higher in Trieste, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Trieste versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Trieste
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
12:24 12:24 PM
04:24 4:24 AM
8 h behind Trieste
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
200,609
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Trieste Nosara 9,940 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Trieste
  • 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
Trieste vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Trieste and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,890 in Trieste, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Trieste compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,835 per month in Trieste and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Trieste and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Trieste and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 64% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Trieste and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Trieste and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Trieste at $1,890. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trieste it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Trieste and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,837 in Nosara to $1,890 in Trieste. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Trieste 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 Trieste and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Trieste makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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