Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $1,978 in Uppsala, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Uppsala despite lower rent and utilities.

Uppsala
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,978
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,978 per month in Uppsala vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Uppsala $1,978
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $3,051 per month in Uppsala vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Uppsala $3,051
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $4,124 per month in Uppsala vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Uppsala $4,124
  • Nosara $3,818

Uppsala costs about 8% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Uppsala and Nosara sit above the global median – Uppsala by 46%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.90 SEK 148
$12.35 ₡5,539
20.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.0 SEK 802
$61.2 ₡27.4K
32.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.87 SEK 97.8
$7.52 ₡3,373
31.25%
Cappuccino
$4.98 SEK 49.39
$4.41 ₡1,978
12.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 SEK 30.25
$1.74 ₡780
75.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 SEK 23.74
$1.31 ₡587
83.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.96 SEK 78.9
$3.28 ₡1,471
142.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.87 SEK 97.8
$4.47 ₡2,004
120.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 SEK 17.91
$1.56 ₡701
16.03%
White Bread (500g)
$2.78 SEK 27.57
$3.02 ₡1,355
-7.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.59 SEK 45.48
$2.51 ₡1,125
82.87%
Eggs
$5.05 SEK 50.1
$3.57 ₡1,603
41.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.12 SEK 100
$7.43 ₡3,333
36.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.77 SEK 146
$10.52 ₡4,717
40.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.86 SEK 177
$13.97 ₡6,265
27.85%
Apples (1kg)
$4.18 SEK 41.42
$2.35 ₡1,052
77.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.73 SEK 27.06
$1.61 ₡720
69.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.49 SEK 34.63
$4.80 ₡2,152
-27.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.12 SEK 50.7
$1.61 ₡724
218.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 SEK 19.20
$3.80 ₡1,703
-48.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 SEK 16.80
$3.69 ₡1,657
-53.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 SEK 26.21
$1.13 ₡507
133.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 SEK 12.68
$2.66 ₡1,191
-51.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 SEK 78.9
$5.18 ₡2,321
53.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.91 SEK 98.2
$19.88 ₡8,916
-50.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 SEK 24.51
$2.90 ₡1,300
-14.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 SEK 24.94
$3.63 ₡1,626
-30.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.92 SEK 38.80
$1.12 ₡504
250.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$111 SEK 1,103
$72.6 ₡32.6K
53.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.33 SEK 52.8
$2.14 ₡958
149.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 SEK 13.13
$1.57 ₡703
-15.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.3 SEK 607
$8.52 ₡3,823
618.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 SEK 17.54
$1.52 ₡682
16.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K SEK 329.1K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
53.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K SEK 318.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-6.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$109 SEK 1,077
$96.3 ₡43.2K
12.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.95 SEK 158
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-55.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.42 SEK 470
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-11.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.13 SEK 388
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-45.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.27 SEK 231
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-33.34%
Cinema Ticket
$18.61 SEK 184
$7.89 ₡3,539
135.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$126 SEK 1,248
$494 ₡221.6K
-74.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 SEK 1,037
$53.9 ₡24.2K
94.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.48 SEK 480
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-12.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.4 SEK 935
$77.9 ₡34.9K
21.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$200 SEK 1,982
$79.6 ₡35.7K
151.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$892 SEK 8,836
$788 ₡353.4K
13.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$707 SEK 7,009
$794 ₡356.2K
-10.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,750 SEK 17.3K
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-55.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,138 SEK 11.3K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-19.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,186 SEK 51.4K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-24.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,595 SEK 25.7K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
111.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uppsala
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,008 SEK 29.8K
$864 ₡387.3K
248.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
8.62
-55.92%

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

Last update for Uppsala: 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
Uppsala
$707
Nosara
$794 12.3% $87
Groceries & Markets
Uppsala
$391
Nosara
$352 10% $39
Eating Out
Uppsala
$290
Nosara
$212 27% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Uppsala
$201
Nosara
$120 40.4% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uppsala
$172
Nosara
$186 7.9% $14
Getting Around
Uppsala
$139
Nosara
$87 37.3% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Uppsala
$76
Nosara
$87 14.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $892 in Uppsala 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 248% higher in Uppsala, 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 $81.0 in Uppsala versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $391 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Uppsala
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
03:24 3:24 AM
19:24 7:24 PM
8 h behind Uppsala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
166,698
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Uppsala Nosara 9,780 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Uppsala
  • 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
Uppsala vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Uppsala and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,978 in Uppsala, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Uppsala compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,966 per month in Uppsala 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 Uppsala 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 Uppsala and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 53% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Uppsala and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $126 per month in Uppsala and $494 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 $1,839, than in Uppsala at $1,978. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uppsala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Uppsala and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $1,978 in Uppsala. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Uppsala 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 Uppsala and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uppsala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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