Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zakho and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Zakho: $759 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Zakho
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Zakho Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Zakho

🇮🇶 Iraq

$759

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $759 per month in Zakho vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Zakho $759
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Zakho vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Zakho $1,210
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Zakho vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Zakho $1,661
Nosara $3,814

Zakho is about 59% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Zakho sits 44% below the global median, while Nosara is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 IQD 9,855

$12.34 ₡5,535

-47.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.45 IQD 55.1K

$61.3 ₡27.5K

-40.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 10.7K

$7.76 ₡3,481

-8.76%

Cappuccino

$3.38 IQD 5,101

$4.44 ₡1,992

-23.87%

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

$0.90 IQD 1,356

$1.79 ₡803

-49.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 550

$1.29 ₡580

-72.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 IQD 8,101

$3.24 ₡1,451

65.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 IQD 6,130

$4.43 ₡1,985

-8.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 IQD 1,613

$1.55 ₡696

-30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 IQD 1,019

$3.08 ₡1,380

-78.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 IQD 2,221

$2.53 ₡1,133

-41.90%

Eggs

$1.52 IQD 2,290

$3.45 ₡1,546

-55.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 IQD 10.9K

$7.32 ₡3,284

-1.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 IQD 6,524

$10.24 ₡4,594

-57.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 IQD 19.4K

$14.10 ₡6,326

-8.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,463

$2.29 ₡1,027

-57.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 IQD 1,437

$1.64 ₡737

-42.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,543

$4.79 ₡2,149

-78.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 1,046

$1.64 ₡735

-57.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 895

$3.85 ₡1,727

-84.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 874

$3.75 ₡1,681

-84.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 997

$1.09 ₡488

-39.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 IQD 777

$2.59 ₡1,160

-80.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 3,189

$5.12 ₡2,295

-58.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 IQD 16.4K

$19.92 ₡8,931

-45.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 2,197

$2.80 ₡1,255

-48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,782

$3.52 ₡1,580

-47.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 594

$1.22 ₡549

-68.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.25 IQD 30.6K

$73.9 ₡33.1K

-72.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 IQD 2,474

$2.17 ₡973

-24.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 IQD 2,418

$1.56 ₡698

2.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 IQD 8,350

$8.67 ₡3,886

-36.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 863

$1.55 ₡697

-63.23%

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

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-51.58%

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

$17.3K IQD 26.2M

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-55.23%

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

$113 IQD 170.8K

$94.8 ₡42.5K

19.25%

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

$11.83 IQD 17.9K

$36.15 ₡16.2K

-67.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 IQD 36.3K

$53.1 ₡23.8K

-54.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 IQD 56.6K

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-49.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 IQD 15.0K

$7.91 ₡3,548

25.79%

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

$313 IQD 473.3K

$490 ₡219.9K

-36.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,762 IQD 4.2M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-76.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.29 IQD 39.7K

$54.8 ₡24.6K

-52.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.70 IQD 29.8K

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-64.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.08 IQD 74.2K

$80.4 ₡36.0K

-38.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.75 IQD 61.6K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-47.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 IQD 260.4K

$801 ₡359.1K

-78.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 199.9K

$790 ₡354.1K

-83.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 IQD 572.2K

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-90.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 IQD 466.0K

$1,409 ₡632.0K

-78.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$711 IQD 1.1M

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-89.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 IQD 870.1K

$1,236 ₡554.3K

-53.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 IQD 997.7K

$887 ₡397.6K

-25.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

8.62

-70.65%

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

Last update for Zakho: October 20, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Zakho

$174 22.9%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 101% $176

Eating Out

Zakho

$154 20.3%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 38.2% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zakho

$149 19.6%

Nosara

$184 10% 23.6% $35

Accommodation & Living

Zakho

$132 17.4%

Nosara

$790 43% 497% $657

Clothing & Footwear

Zakho

$61 8.1%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 98% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Zakho

$57 7.6%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 56.2% $32

Getting Around

Zakho

$31 4.2%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 182% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $172 in Zakho versus $801 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 34% higher in Nosara, 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 $36.00 in Zakho versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $350 – making Zakho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Zakho

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

02:27 2:27 AM

17:27 5:27 PM

9 h behind Zakho

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

197,163

4,912

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zakho Nosara 12,510 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Zakho
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

Zakho vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $759 in Zakho, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 142% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,138 per month in Zakho and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zakho, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 265% less in Zakho. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $313 per month in Zakho and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zakho, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Zakho 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 $759 in Zakho to $1,835 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 Zakho. 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.