Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Xaghra and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $1,986 in Xaghra, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Xaghra outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Xaghra
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,986
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,986 per month in Xaghra vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Xaghra $1,986
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,970 per month in Xaghra vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Xaghra $2,970
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,953 per month in Xaghra vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Xaghra $3,953
  • Nosara $3,818

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

Both Xaghra and Nosara sit above the global median – Xaghra by 47%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.07 €8.96
$12.35 ₡5,539
-18.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.2 €78.5
$61.2 ₡27.4K
44.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.50 €12.01
$7.52 ₡3,373
79.52%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.83
$4.41 ₡1,978
-27.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 €2.12
$1.74 ₡780
37.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.31 ₡587
47.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.46 €4.85
$3.28 ₡1,471
66.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.50 €5.78
$4.47 ₡2,004
45.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.56 ₡701
-12.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 €1.28
$3.02 ₡1,355
-52.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.38 €3.01
$2.51 ₡1,125
34.66%
Eggs
$2.07 €1.84
$3.57 ₡1,603
-42.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.52 €9.35
$7.43 ₡3,333
41.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.15 €10.81
$10.52 ₡4,717
15.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.35 €16.32
$13.97 ₡6,265
31.35%
Apples (1kg)
$3.83 €3.40
$2.35 ₡1,052
62.98%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 €2.47
$1.61 ₡720
72.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.99 €3.55
$4.80 ₡2,152
-16.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.79 €3.37
$1.61 ₡724
135.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$3.80 ₡1,703
-51.05%
Onion (1kg)
$3.27 €2.91
$3.69 ₡1,657
-11.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.13 ₡507
92.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.81
$2.66 ₡1,191
-65.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.41 €5.70
$5.18 ₡2,321
23.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.78 €5.14
$19.88 ₡8,916
-70.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.13
$2.90 ₡1,300
-17.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 €2.09
$3.63 ₡1,626
-35.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.54 €2.26
$1.12 ₡504
126.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 €3.43
$2.14 ₡958
80.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 €1.57
$1.57 ₡703
12.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.86 €29.23
$8.52 ₡3,823
285.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.52 ₡682
-2.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K €24.7K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
28.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K €34.6K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
12.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 €140
$96.3 ₡43.2K
63.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.53 €27.15
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-14.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.78 €26.49
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-44.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.8 €57.6
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-9.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.12 €9.89
$7.89 ₡3,539
40.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$278 €247
$494 ₡221.6K
-43.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K €10.7K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
1.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8 €50.5
$53.9 ₡24.2K
5.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.8 €62.1
$55.4 ₡24.8K
25.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 €101
$77.9 ₡34.9K
45.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €116
$79.6 ₡35.7K
64.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,118 €994
$788 ₡353.4K
41.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$947 €842
$794 ₡356.2K
19.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,753 €1,559
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-55.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,312
$1,419 ₡636.5K
3.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,242 €3,773
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-38.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,915 €2,593
$1,224 ₡549.0K
138.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Xaghra
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.05
8.62
-53.02%

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

Last update for Xaghra: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Xaghra
$947
Nosara
$794 16.1% $153
Groceries & Markets
Xaghra
$328
Nosara
$352 7.4% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Xaghra
$218
Nosara
$186 14.7% $32
Eating Out
Xaghra
$217
Nosara
$212 2.3% $5.1
Clothing & Footwear
Xaghra
$167
Nosara
$120 28% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Xaghra
$87
Nosara
$87 0.4% $0.4
Getting Around
Xaghra
$23 *
Nosara
$87 282% $64

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,118 in Xaghra 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Xaghra versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Xaghra vs $352 in Nosara – so Xaghra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Xaghra
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
16:48 4:48 PM
08:48 8:48 AM
8 h behind Xaghra
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,100
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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
  • Xaghra Nosara 10,230 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Xaghra
  • 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
Xaghra vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Xaghra and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,986 in Xaghra, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Xaghra compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,979 per month in Xaghra 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 Xaghra 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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in Xaghra 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?
Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Xaghra – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
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 Xaghra at $1,986. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Xaghra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Xaghra and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $1,986 in Xaghra. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Xaghra 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 Xaghra and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Xaghra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Xaghra vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?