Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Veliko Tarnovo and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Veliko Tarnovo: $1,006 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Veliko Tarnovo
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Veliko Tarnovo Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Veliko Tarnovo

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,006

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,006 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Veliko Tarnovo $1,006
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Veliko Tarnovo $1,574
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,141 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Veliko Tarnovo $2,141
Nosara $3,818

Veliko Tarnovo is about 45% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Veliko Tarnovo sits 25% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 BGN 19.46

$12.35 ₡5,547

-9.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.76 BGN 69.6

$61.2 ₡27.5K

-35.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.61 BGN 16.83

$7.52 ₡3,377

27.79%

Cappuccino

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$4.41 ₡1,981

-58.05%

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

$1.31 BGN 2.30

$1.74 ₡781

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$1.31 ₡588

-32.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BGN 3.55

$3.28 ₡1,473

-38.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 BGN 4.88

$4.47 ₡2,007

-37.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.25

$1.56 ₡702

19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 BGN 1.85

$3.02 ₡1,357

-65.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 BGN 4.34

$2.51 ₡1,127

-1.20%

Eggs

$3.67 BGN 6.43

$3.57 ₡1,605

2.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 BGN 17.81

$7.43 ₡3,338

36.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 BGN 14.00

$10.52 ₡4,724

-23.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 BGN 21.76

$13.97 ₡6,274

-11.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 BGN 2.80

$2.35 ₡1,054

-31.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.59

$1.61 ₡721

27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.43

$4.80 ₡2,155

-59.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 BGN 4.51

$1.61 ₡725

60.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.91

$3.80 ₡1,706

-71.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 BGN 2.05

$3.69 ₡1,659

-68.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 BGN 1.71

$1.13 ₡507

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BGN 1.27

$2.66 ₡1,193

-72.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 BGN 7.17

$5.18 ₡2,324

-20.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 BGN 11.75

$19.88 ₡8,929

-66.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.11

$2.90 ₡1,302

-58.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 BGN 2.81

$3.63 ₡1,628

-55.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 BGN 1.57

$1.12 ₡505

-19.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.23 BGN 40.65

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-68.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BGN 2.03

$2.14 ₡959

-45.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 BGN 1.18

$1.57 ₡704

-57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.18 BGN 19.57

$8.52 ₡3,828

31.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$1.52 ₡683

2.63%

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

$30.5K BGN 53.4K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

41.21%

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

$30.6K BGN 53.6K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-11.30%

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

$95.9 BGN 168

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-0.46%

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

$18.81 BGN 32.92

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-47.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.86 BGN 27.75

$53.6 ₡24.1K

-70.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.50 BGN 53.4

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-57.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.69 BGN 34.46

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-43.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 BGN 12.08

$7.89 ₡3,544

-12.42%

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

$494 ₡221.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.95 BGN 82.2

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-12.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.58 BGN 53.5

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-44.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 BGN 214

$77.9 ₡35.0K

56.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 BGN 163

$79.6 ₡35.8K

16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 BGN 614

$788 ₡353.9K

-55.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 BGN 456

$794 ₡356.7K

-67.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 BGN 1,000

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-85.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 BGN 735

$1,419 ₡637.4K

-70.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,407 BGN 4,211

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-65.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 BGN 2,387

$1,224 ₡549.8K

11.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$952 BGN 1,666

$864 ₡387.8K

10.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.74

8.62

-68.21%

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

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Veliko Tarnovo

$260 25.9%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 205% $534

Groceries & Markets

Veliko Tarnovo

$244 24.2%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 44.7% $109

Eating Out

Veliko Tarnovo

$164 16.3%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 28.8% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Veliko Tarnovo

$132 13.1%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 8.9% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Veliko Tarnovo

$131 13%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 42.3% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Veliko Tarnovo

$44 4.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 97.2% $43

Getting Around

Veliko Tarnovo

$31 3.1%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 178% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $351 in Veliko Tarnovo 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 10% higher in Veliko Tarnovo, 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 $40.00 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $352 – making Veliko Tarnovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Veliko Tarnovo

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

00:04 12:04 AM

15:04 3:04 PM

9 h behind Veliko Tarnovo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

71,150

4,912

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Veliko Tarnovo Nosara 10,920 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Veliko Tarnovo
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

Veliko Tarnovo vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,006 in Veliko Tarnovo, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 83% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,509 per month in Veliko Tarnovo 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 Veliko Tarnovo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 213% less in Veliko Tarnovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veliko Tarnovo, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Veliko Tarnovo 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 $1,006 in Veliko Tarnovo 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 Veliko Tarnovo. 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.