Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Veenendaal and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,567 in Veenendaal, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Veenendaal
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,567
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,567 per month in Veenendaal vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Veenendaal $2,567
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $3,772 per month in Veenendaal vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Veenendaal $3,772
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $4,977 per month in Veenendaal vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Veenendaal $4,977
  • Nosara $3,818

Veenendaal costs about 40% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Veenendaal and Nosara sit above the global median – Veenendaal by 90%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.40 €21.71
$12.35 ₡5,539
97.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.9 €74.6
$61.2 ₡27.4K
37.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.13 €13.46
$7.52 ₡3,373
101.20%
Cappuccino
$4.53 €4.03
$4.41 ₡1,978
2.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 €2.92
$1.74 ₡780
88.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.52
$1.31 ₡587
116.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.68 €5.05
$3.28 ₡1,471
73.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.61 €4.99
$4.47 ₡2,004
25.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 €1.31
$1.56 ₡701
-5.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 €1.42
$3.02 ₡1,355
-47.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.64 €3.24
$2.51 ₡1,125
45.02%
Eggs
$5.13 €4.56
$3.57 ₡1,603
43.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.95 €11.52
$7.43 ₡3,333
74.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.04 €13.38
$10.52 ₡4,717
42.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.58 €14.75
$13.97 ₡6,265
18.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 €2.46
$2.35 ₡1,052
17.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.44 €2.17
$1.61 ₡720
51.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 €1.67
$4.80 ₡2,152
-60.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.51 €4.90
$1.61 ₡724
242.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.86
$3.80 ₡1,703
-44.74%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 €2.04
$3.69 ₡1,657
-37.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 €1.11
$1.13 ₡507
9.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.80
$2.66 ₡1,191
-66.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.74 €12.23
$5.18 ₡2,321
165.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.71 €5.97
$19.88 ₡8,916
-66.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.90 ₡1,300
-50.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 €2.44
$3.63 ₡1,626
-24.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.39 €3.02
$1.12 ₡504
202.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.7 €87.8
$72.6 ₡32.6K
35.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.09 €3.64
$2.14 ₡958
91.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.02 €2.68
$1.57 ₡703
92.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.78 €26.49
$8.52 ₡3,823
249.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.39 €2.12
$1.52 ₡682
57.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.7K €36.2K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
88.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K €34.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
12.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$282 €251
$96.3 ₡43.2K
192.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.39 €21.70
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-32.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.23 €43.79
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-8.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.65 €24.59
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-61.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.44 €20.85
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-32.86%
Cinema Ticket
$14.78 €13.15
$7.89 ₡3,539
87.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,361 €2,100
$494 ₡221.6K
377.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,008 €5,344
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-49.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 €52.6
$53.9 ₡24.2K
9.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.37 €35.02
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-28.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.2 €80.2
$77.9 ₡34.9K
15.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €93.9
$79.6 ₡35.7K
32.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,388 €1,234
$788 ₡353.4K
76.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,185 €1,054
$794 ₡356.2K
49.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,360 €2,099
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-40.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,926 €1,713
$1,419 ₡636.5K
35.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,275 €4,692
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-23.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,316 €3,839
$1,224 ₡549.0K
252.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Veenendaal
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,616 €2,327
$864 ₡387.3K
202.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.3
8.62
-50.12%

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

Last update for Veenendaal: 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
Veenendaal
$1.2K
Nosara
$794 33% $390
Eating Out
Veenendaal
$359
Nosara
$212 41% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Veenendaal
$356
Nosara
$186 47.8% $170
Groceries & Markets
Veenendaal
$346
Nosara
$352 1.9% $6.4
Clothing & Footwear
Veenendaal
$132
Nosara
$120 9.3% $12
Getting Around
Veenendaal
$131
Nosara
$87 33.7% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Veenendaal
$57
Nosara
$87 52.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,388 in Veenendaal 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 203% higher in Veenendaal, 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 $84.0 in Veenendaal versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in Veenendaal vs $352 in Nosara – so Veenendaal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Veenendaal
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
02:56 2:56 AM
18:56 6:56 PM
8 h behind Veenendaal
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
61,271
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Veenendaal Nosara 9,220 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Veenendaal
  • 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
Veenendaal vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Veenendaal and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,567 in Veenendaal, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Veenendaal compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,850 per month in Veenendaal 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 Veenendaal 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 Veenendaal and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 36% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Veenendaal and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $2,361 per month in Veenendaal 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 Veenendaal at $2,567. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Veenendaal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Veenendaal and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $2,567 in Veenendaal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Veenendaal 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 Veenendaal and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Veenendaal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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