Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Mochis and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Los Mochis: $1,111 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Los Mochis
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,111
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Los Mochis vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Los Mochis $1,111
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Los Mochis vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Los Mochis $1,768
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,424 per month in Los Mochis vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Los Mochis $2,424
  • Nosara $3,818

Los Mochis is about 40% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Los Mochis sits 18% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.87 MX$127
$12.35 ₡5,539
-44.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.35 MX$598
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-47.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.01 MX$203
$7.52 ₡3,373
46.41%
Cappuccino
$3.17 MX$58.6
$4.41 ₡1,978
-28.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 MX$20.34
$1.74 ₡780
-36.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 MX$18.71
$1.31 ₡587
-22.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50 MX$46.20
$3.28 ₡1,471
-23.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 MX$63.0
$4.47 ₡2,004
-23.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.02
$1.56 ₡701
-2.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 MX$50.8
$3.02 ₡1,355
-8.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$31.61
$2.51 ₡1,125
-31.87%
Eggs
$2.35 MX$43.44
$3.57 ₡1,603
-34.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 MX$159
$7.43 ₡3,333
15.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.59 MX$177
$10.52 ₡4,717
-8.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.84 MX$237
$13.97 ₡6,265
-8.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.52 MX$46.55
$2.35 ₡1,052
7.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 MX$28.79
$1.61 ₡720
-3.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.31
$4.80 ₡2,152
-61.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.73 MX$31.88
$1.61 ₡724
7.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 MX$34.99
$3.80 ₡1,703
-50.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 MX$33.47
$3.69 ₡1,657
-50.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 MX$26.36
$1.13 ₡507
26.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 MX$17.81
$2.66 ₡1,191
-63.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.74 MX$69.2
$5.18 ₡2,321
-27.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.17 MX$207
$19.88 ₡8,916
-43.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 MX$33.72
$2.90 ₡1,300
-37.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 MX$57.2
$3.63 ₡1,626
-14.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 MX$12.73
$1.12 ₡504
-38.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.62 MX$48.45
$2.14 ₡958
22.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 MX$36.02
$1.57 ₡703
24.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.87 MX$201
$8.52 ₡3,823
27.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$26.34
$1.52 ₡682
-5.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K MX$393.0K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-1.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$441.4K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-30.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.0 MX$1,053
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-40.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.38 MX$414
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-37.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97 MX$554
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-44.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.05 MX$629
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-52.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.97 MX$369
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-42.80%
Cinema Ticket
$5.22 MX$96.5
$7.89 ₡3,539
-33.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 MX$4,108
$494 ₡221.6K
-55.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,159 MX$95.3K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-56.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 MX$992
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-0.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.77 MX$753
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-26.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 MX$1,881
$77.9 ₡34.9K
30.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 MX$1,625
$79.6 ₡35.7K
10.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$617 MX$11.4K
$788 ₡353.4K
-21.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$387 MX$7,153
$794 ₡356.2K
-51.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,026 MX$19.0K
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-73.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$777 MX$14.4K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-45.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,913 MX$35.4K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-72.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,292 MX$23.9K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
5.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Los Mochis
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 MX$12.0K
$864 ₡387.3K
-24.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
8.62
31.09%

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

Last update for Los Mochis: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Los Mochis
$387
Nosara
$794 105% $407
Groceries & Markets
Los Mochis
$273
Nosara
$352 28.8% $79
Eating Out
Los Mochis
$154
Nosara
$212 37.7% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Los Mochis
$128
Nosara
$120 6.1% $7.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Los Mochis
$109
Nosara
$186 69.9% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Los Mochis
$44
Nosara
$87 96.4% $43
Getting Around
Los Mochis
$15 *
Nosara
$87 476% $72

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $617 in Los Mochis 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 32% 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 $32.00 in Los Mochis versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $352 – making Los Mochis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Los Mochis
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
17:45 5:45 PM
18:45 6:45 PM
1 h ahead of Los Mochis
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
298,009
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 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
  • Los Mochis Nosara 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Los Mochis
  • 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
Los Mochis vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Los Mochis or Nosara?
Nosara costs about 65% more than Los Mochis, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Los Mochis and in Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Los Mochis and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Los Mochis or Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Los Mochis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Los Mochis and in Nosara?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Los Mochis and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Los Mochis or in Nosara?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Los Mochis or in Nosara?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Mochis, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Los Mochis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Los Mochis or Nosara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Mochis costs $1,111 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Los Mochis compared to Nosara?
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.
Should I move to Los Mochis or to Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Los Mochis. 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.

Los Mochis vs other spots: cost of living compared

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