Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent and utilities included – about $25,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

192

Cost of Living Index in Costa Mesa, CA
Learn more

Costa Mesa, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Costa Mesa, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,959

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,959 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $3,959
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $5,540 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $5,540
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $7,121 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $7,121
Nosara $3,818

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 115% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Costa Mesa, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – Costa Mesa, CA by 193%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.85 $19.85

$12.35 ₡5,539

60.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$61.2 ₡27.4K

28.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 $14.90

$7.52 ₡3,373

98.14%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.41 ₡1,978

26.76%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$1.74 ₡780

95.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.31 ₡587

90.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 $7.32

$3.28 ₡1,471

123.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.73 $9.73

$4.47 ₡2,004

117.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.56 ₡701

-28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.02 ₡1,355

32.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.51 ₡1,125

86.85%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$3.57 ₡1,603

42.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$7.43 ₡3,333

72.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.19 $20.19

$10.52 ₡4,717

91.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.58 $21.58

$13.97 ₡6,265

54.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.35 ₡1,052

113.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.61 ₡720

54.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.80 ₡2,152

-5.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.61 ₡724

260.25%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.80 ₡1,703

19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$3.69 ₡1,657

-37.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.13 ₡507

91.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.66 ₡1,191

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 $11.60

$5.18 ₡2,321

123.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$19.88 ₡8,916

-24.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.90 ₡1,300

-30.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.63 ₡1,626

15.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.12 ₡504

74.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 $69.9

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-3.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.14 ₡958

185.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.52 ₡682

-3.29%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

72.18%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-25.92%

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

$218 $218

$96.3 ₡43.2K

125.99%

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

$68.5 $68.5

$35.89 ₡16.1K

90.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$53.6 ₡24.0K

33.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.81 $39.81

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 $12.21

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-65.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.67 $16.67

$7.89 ₡3,539

111.28%

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

$1,196 $1,196

$494 ₡221.6K

141.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$53.9 ₡24.2K

5.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.38 $47.38

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-14.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$77.9 ₡34.9K

19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$79.6 ₡35.7K

61.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,726 $2,726

$788 ₡353.4K

245.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,467 $2,467

$794 ₡356.2K

210.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,187 $4,187

$3,939 ₡1.8M

6.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,833 $3,833

$1,419 ₡636.5K

170.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,284 $9,284

$6,912 ₡3.1M

34.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,077 $7,077

$1,224 ₡549.0K

478.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$864 ₡387.3K

627.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

8.62

-25.87%

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

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Costa Mesa, CA

$2.5K 62.3%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 67.8% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Costa Mesa, CA

$480 12.1%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 26.6% $128

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Costa Mesa, CA

$358 9%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 48.1% $172

Eating Out

Costa Mesa, CA

$350 8.9%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 39.5% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Costa Mesa, CA

$147 3.7%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 18.1% $27

Getting Around

Costa Mesa, CA

$84 * 2.1%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 4% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Costa Mesa, CA

$73 1.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 19.4% $14

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,726 in Costa Mesa, CA 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 628% higher in Costa Mesa, CA, 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 $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $480 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Costa Mesa, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:21 10:21 AM

11:21 11:21 AM

1 h ahead of Costa Mesa, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,960

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Costa Mesa, CA Nosara 4,210 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Costa Mesa, CA
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

Costa Mesa, CA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 115% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,938 per month in Costa Mesa, CA 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 Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Costa Mesa, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Costa Mesa, CA at $3,959. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Costa Mesa, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,839 versus $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Costa Mesa, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.