Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Umm Salal 'ali and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Umm Salal 'ali: $769 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Umm Salal 'ali
🇶🇦 Qatar
$769
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $769 per month in Umm Salal 'ali vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Umm Salal 'ali $769
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,306 per month in Umm Salal 'ali vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Umm Salal 'ali $1,306
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,844 per month in Umm Salal 'ali vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Umm Salal 'ali $1,844
  • Nosara $3,818

Umm Salal 'ali is about 58% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Umm Salal 'ali sits 43% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.48 QAR 34.52
$12.35 ₡5,539
-23.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.6 QAR 253
$61.2 ₡27.4K
13.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.36 QAR 30.42
$7.52 ₡3,373
11.17%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.03 QAR 43.80
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.79 QAR 50.2
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.79 QAR 21.06
$4.41 ₡1,978
31.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 QAR 3.52
$1.74 ₡780
-44.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 QAR 1.59
$1.31 ₡587
-66.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.28 ₡1,471
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.47 ₡2,004
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 QAR 7.80
$1.56 ₡701
37.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.42 QAR 5.18
$3.02 ₡1,355
-52.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 QAR 7.04
$2.51 ₡1,125
-23.11%
Eggs
$3.36 QAR 12.22
$3.57 ₡1,603
-5.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.09 QAR 40.37
$7.43 ₡3,333
49.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.67 QAR 27.93
$10.52 ₡4,717
-27.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.15 QAR 40.57
$13.97 ₡6,265
-20.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 QAR 8.08
$2.35 ₡1,052
-5.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 QAR 6.69
$1.61 ₡720
14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 QAR 5.58
$4.80 ₡2,152
-68.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.19 QAR 4.35
$1.61 ₡724
-26.09%
Potato (1kg)
$0.92 QAR 3.34
$3.80 ₡1,703
-75.79%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 QAR 3.61
$3.69 ₡1,657
-73.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 QAR 5.22
$1.13 ₡507
26.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 QAR 1.87
$2.66 ₡1,191
-80.83%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$9.81 QAR 35.73
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 QAR 6.97
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 QAR 8.33
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.52 QAR 23.74
$5.18 ₡2,321
25.87%
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
-
🚌 Getting Around
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡504
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.87 QAR 6.82
$2.14 ₡958
-12.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 QAR 7.34
$1.57 ₡703
28.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.85 QAR 50.4
$8.52 ₡3,823
62.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.54 QAR 1.98
$1.52 ₡682
-64.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K QAR 100.0K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
27.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K QAR 83.1K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-33.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.6 QAR 311
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-11.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.46 QAR 125
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-3.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.0 QAR 320
$53.6 ₡24.0K
64.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.58 QAR 45.79
$7.89 ₡3,539
59.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$681 QAR 2,478
$494 ₡221.6K
37.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,731 QAR 35.4K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-17.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0 QAR 219
$53.9 ₡24.2K
11.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.4 QAR 198
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-1.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 QAR 365
$77.9 ₡34.9K
28.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9 QAR 309
$79.6 ₡35.7K
6.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$788 ₡353.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$794 ₡356.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Umm Salal 'ali
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.92
8.62
-31.32%

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

Last update for Umm Salal 'ali: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Umm Salal 'ali
$213
Nosara
$352 65.6% $140
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm Salal 'ali
$208
Nosara
$186 10.7% $22
Eating Out
Umm Salal 'ali
$176
Nosara
$212 20.4% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Umm Salal 'ali
$135
Nosara
$120 10.9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Umm Salal 'ali
$25 *
Nosara
$87 247% $62
Getting Around
Umm Salal 'ali
$12 *
Nosara
$87 629% $75
Accommodation & Living
Umm Salal 'ali
- *
Nosara
$794

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Umm Salal 'ali versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Umm Salal 'ali vs $352 in Nosara – so Umm Salal 'ali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇶🇦 Umm Salal 'ali
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
22:14 10:14 PM
13:14 1:14 PM
9 h behind Umm Salal 'ali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,909
4,912
💱 Currency
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to QAR – Qatari Riyal Converter

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.09 QAR (1 QAR = 0.244 EUR).

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
  • Umm Salal 'ali Nosara 13,920 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Umm Salal 'ali
  • 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
Umm Salal 'ali vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Umm Salal 'ali and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $769 in Umm Salal 'ali, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 139% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Umm Salal 'ali compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,153 per month in Umm Salal 'ali and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Umm Salal 'ali and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 66% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal 'ali, where all-in costs run around $769, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Umm Salal 'ali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Umm Salal 'ali and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $769 in Umm Salal 'ali to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Umm Salal 'ali 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 Umm Salal 'ali and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Umm Salal 'ali. 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.

Umm Salal 'ali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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