Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zilina and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Zilina: $1,369 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Zilina
🇸🇰 Slovakia
$1,369
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,369 per month in Zilina vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Zilina $1,369
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Zilina vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Zilina $2,044
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,719 per month in Zilina vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Zilina $2,719
  • Nosara $3,818

Zilina is about 26% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zilina and Nosara sit above the global median – Zilina by 1%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.98 €8.88
$12.35 ₡5,539
-19.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.8 €50.6
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-7.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.00 €7.12
$7.52 ₡3,373
6.38%
Cappuccino
$2.42 €2.15
$4.41 ₡1,978
-45.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 €1.55
$1.74 ₡780
0.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.31 ₡587
6.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 €2.00
$3.28 ₡1,471
-31.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 €2.01
$4.47 ₡2,004
-49.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 €0.96
$1.56 ₡701
-30.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.02 ₡1,355
-54.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$2.51 ₡1,125
-24.30%
Eggs
$3.70 €3.29
$3.57 ₡1,603
3.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.52 €11.13
$7.43 ₡3,333
68.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.02 €6.24
$10.52 ₡4,717
-33.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.31 €10.95
$13.97 ₡6,265
-11.88%
Apples (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.35 ₡1,052
-25.96%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.61 ₡720
32.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 €2.11
$4.80 ₡2,152
-50.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 €4.02
$1.61 ₡724
180.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.80 ₡1,703
-63.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 €1.34
$3.69 ₡1,657
-59.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 €1.41
$1.13 ₡507
39.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.75
$2.66 ₡1,191
-68.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.23 €5.54
$5.18 ₡2,321
20.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.59 €4.97
$19.88 ₡8,916
-71.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 €0.90
$2.90 ₡1,300
-65.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.23
$3.63 ₡1,626
-61.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.12 ₡504
-2.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.67 €20.16
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-68.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.66 €1.48
$2.14 ₡958
-22.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.57 ₡703
-30.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.19 €19.74
$8.52 ₡3,823
160.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.52 ₡682
16.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.7K €22.8K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
18.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K €21.3K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-30.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$228 €203
$96.3 ₡43.2K
137.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.72 €17.54
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-45.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.80 €17.61
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-63.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.66 €31.72
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-50.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.35 €10.09
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-67.49%
Cinema Ticket
$9.45 €8.41
$7.89 ₡3,539
19.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$406 €361
$494 ₡221.6K
-17.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,725 €5,982
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-43.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.0 €57.8
$53.9 ₡24.2K
20.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.85 €24.77
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-49.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 €71.4
$77.9 ₡34.9K
2.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.5 €83.2
$79.6 ₡35.7K
17.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$575 €511
$788 ₡353.4K
-27.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$479 €426
$794 ₡356.2K
-39.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$904 €804
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-77.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$768 €683
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-45.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,281 €2,918
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-52.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,887 €2,568
$1,224 ₡549.0K
135.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zilina
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,367 €1,216
$864 ₡387.3K
58.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
8.62
-56.03%

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

Last update for Zilina: 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
Zilina
$479
Nosara
$794 65.9% $316
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zilina
$268
Nosara
$186 30.6% $82
Groceries & Markets
Zilina
$253
Nosara
$352 39.5% $100
Eating Out
Zilina
$161
Nosara
$212 31.4% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Zilina
$120
Nosara
$120 0.1% $0.1
Sport & Entertainment
Zilina
$55
Nosara
$87 60.1% $33
Getting Around
Zilina
$34
Nosara
$87 155% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Zilina 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 58% higher in Zilina, 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 $57.0 in Zilina versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $352 – making Zilina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇰 Zilina
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
03:38 3:38 AM
19:38 7:38 PM
8 h behind Zilina
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
81,494
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
  • Zilina Nosara 10,190 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zilina
  • 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
Zilina vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Zilina and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,369 in Zilina, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Zilina compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,053 per month in Zilina 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 Zilina and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Zilina, 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 Zilina and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 220% less in Zilina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Zilina and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $406 per month in Zilina 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 $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zilina, where all-in costs run around $1,369, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Zilina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Zilina and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,369 in Zilina to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Zilina 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 Zilina and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Zilina. 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.

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