Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dedza and Nosara

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Dedza

🇲🇼 Malawi

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

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

$1.79 ₡803

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

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

$490 ₡219.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Dedza: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dedza

–

Nosara

$790 43%

Groceries & Markets

Dedza

–

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Eating Out

Dedza

–

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dedza

–

Nosara

$184 10%

Clothing & Footwear

Dedza

–

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Dedza

–

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Getting Around

Dedza

–

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Good to know

🇲🇼 Dedza

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

16:14 4:14 PM

08:14 8:14 AM

8 h behind Dedza

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,882

4,912

💱 Currency

Malawian Kwacha MWK MK

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD

10,000 MWK = 5.18 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MWK – Malawian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇼 Malawian Kwacha (MK)

Malawian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,717 MWK (10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD). 1 EUR = 1,930 MWK (10,000 MWK = 5.18 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 MWK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Dedza Nosara 13,490 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Dedza
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

Dedza vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Dedza – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dedza. 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.