Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bel Air and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Bel Air: $590 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bel Air
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$590
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $590 in Bel Air versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Bel Air $590
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $995 in Bel Air versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Bel Air $995
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,400 in Bel Air versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Bel Air $1,400
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Bel Air costs roughly 68% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bel Air is 56% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.67 MUR 267
$12.35 ₡5,539
-54.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.95 MUR 1,786
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-37.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.19 MUR 338
$7.52 ₡3,373
-4.39%
Cappuccino
$1.03 MUR 48.47
$4.41 ₡1,978
-76.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 MUR 50.2
$1.74 ₡780
-38.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 MUR 27.62
$1.31 ₡587
-54.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.62 MUR 76.1
$3.28 ₡1,471
-50.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 MUR 148
$4.47 ₡2,004
-29.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 MUR 76.1
$1.56 ₡701
3.85%
White Bread (500g)
$0.78 MUR 36.67
$3.02 ₡1,355
-74.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 MUR 54.1
$2.51 ₡1,125
-54.18%
Eggs
$2.54 MUR 120
$3.57 ₡1,603
-28.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.29 MUR 249
$7.43 ₡3,333
-28.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.30 MUR 296
$10.52 ₡4,717
-40.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 MUR 525
$13.97 ₡6,265
-20.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 MUR 130
$2.35 ₡1,052
17.02%
Banana (1kg)
$2.61 MUR 123
$1.61 ₡720
62.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 MUR 65.1
$4.80 ₡2,152
-71.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.02 MUR 142
$1.61 ₡724
87.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.00 MUR 46.93
$3.80 ₡1,703
-73.68%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 MUR 43.84
$3.69 ₡1,657
-74.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 MUR 32.37
$1.13 ₡507
-38.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 MUR 42.48
$2.66 ₡1,191
-66.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.25 MUR 294
$5.18 ₡2,321
20.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.37 MUR 394
$19.88 ₡8,916
-57.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 MUR 75.5
$2.90 ₡1,300
-44.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 MUR 107
$3.63 ₡1,626
-37.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.12 ₡504
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.32 MUR 204
$2.14 ₡958
101.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.13 MUR 147
$1.57 ₡703
99.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.19 MUR 998
$8.52 ₡3,823
148.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 MUR 63.6
$1.52 ₡682
-11.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K MUR 1.7M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
65.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K MUR 1.4M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-11.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.32 MUR 2,134
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-52.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.72 MUR 505
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-70.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.55 MUR 1,344
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-46.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MUR 301
$7.89 ₡3,539
-18.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$128 MUR 6,039
$494 ₡221.6K
-74.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,491 MUR 352.7K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-36.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.1 MUR 3,629
$53.9 ₡24.2K
42.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$72.3 MUR 3,403
$55.4 ₡24.8K
30.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 MUR 5,568
$77.9 ₡34.9K
51.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.6 MUR 3,604
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-3.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$788 ₡353.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$794 ₡356.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bel Air
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
8.62
-22.62%

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

Last update for Bel Air: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Bel Air
$217
Nosara
$352 62.1% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Bel Air
$155
Nosara
$120 22.5% $35
Eating Out
Bel Air
$100
Nosara
$212 111% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bel Air
$85
Nosara
$186 120% $101
Getting Around
Bel Air
$20 *
Nosara
$87 336% $67
Sport & Entertainment
Bel Air
$13 *
Nosara
$87 583% $75
Accommodation & Living
Bel Air
- *
Nosara
$794

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in Bel Air vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $352 per month, with Bel Air cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇺 Bel Air
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
22:40 10:40 PM
12:40 12:40 PM
10 h behind Bel Air
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,600
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MUR – Mauritian Rupee Converter

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 47.08 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.93 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 EUR).

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
  • Bel Air Nosara 15,940 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bel Air
  • 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
Bel Air vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bel Air or Nosara?
Bel Air wins on cost – living expenses run 212% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bel Air the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bel Air and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $885 in Bel Air and $2,758 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Are groceries more expensive in Bel Air or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Bel Air compared to Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $590 per month in Bel Air versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bel Air or in Nosara?
At $590 in Bel Air versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bel Air but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Bel Air the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bel Air or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bel Air delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bel Air hard to pass up.
How safe is Bel Air compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Bel Air and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bel Air gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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