Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mackay and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,222 in Mackay, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in Mackay
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Mackay Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Mackay

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,222

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,222 per month in Mackay vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Mackay $2,222
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,485 per month in Mackay vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Mackay $3,485
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $4,748 per month in Mackay vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Mackay $4,748
Nosara $3,712

Mackay costs about 21% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mackay and Nosara sit above the global median – Mackay by 66%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.39 A$24.89

$12.22 ₡5,509

42.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 A$108

$60.2 ₡27.1K

25.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.53 A$17.93

$7.54 ₡3,399

66.18%

Cappuccino

$4.14 A$5.92

$4.31 ₡1,941

-3.94%

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

$3.38 A$4.84

$1.72 ₡773

96.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 A$3.87

$1.35 ₡608

100.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 A$9.81

$3.24 ₡1,459

111.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.06 A$10.10

$4.48 ₡2,018

57.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 A$2.77

$1.57 ₡707

22.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 A$3.72

$3.17 ₡1,429

-17.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.09

$2.42 ₡1,091

18.18%

Eggs

$5.65 A$8.09

$3.57 ₡1,609

58.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 A$13.78

$7.43 ₡3,349

29.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 A$12.07

$10.42 ₡4,697

-19.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 A$23.29

$13.66 ₡6,156

19.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 A$5.18

$2.32 ₡1,044

56.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.28

$1.61 ₡728

85.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.27

$4.74 ₡2,138

-36.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 A$9.48

$1.66 ₡747

298.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 A$3.58

$3.72 ₡1,679

-32.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 A$3.67

$3.57 ₡1,611

-28.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 A$4.41

$1.10 ₡497

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 A$4.42

$2.55 ₡1,149

21.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$42.90 A$61.4

$4.95 ₡2,232

766.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 A$12.20

$20.01 ₡9,020

-57.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.99 A$7.14

$2.79 ₡1,256

78.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 A$8.96

$3.53 ₡1,589

77.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 A$3.57

$1.19 ₡537

109.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 A$101

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-1.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 A$8.32

$2.24 ₡1,011

159.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 A$3.02

$1.55 ₡701

36.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.59 A$49.50

$8.86 ₡3,993

290.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.73

$1.57 ₡708

-22.93%

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

$27.2K A$38.9K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

24.75%

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

$35.4K A$50.7K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

2.26%

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

$230 A$329

$93.5 ₡42.1K

145.66%

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

$29.33 A$41.97

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-16.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 A$114

$51.5 ₡23.2K

54.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 A$74.1

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-27.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 A$29.52

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-41.79%

Cinema Ticket

$16.88 A$24.15

$7.84 ₡3,535

115.31%

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

$1,856 A$2,656

$490 ₡220.7K

279.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,749 A$9,658

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-43.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$101

$53.5 ₡24.1K

31.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 A$73.0

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-8.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 A$181

$79.3 ₡35.7K

60.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$150

$78.9 ₡35.6K

32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 A$1,355

$786 ₡354.3K

20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 A$1,148

$780 ₡351.6K

2.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 A$2,674

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-51.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 A$2,553

$1,407 ₡634.4K

26.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,116 A$4,459

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-55.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,738 A$2,487

$1,201 ₡541.3K

44.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,620 A$8,043

$876 ₡395.0K

541.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

8.62

-34.69%

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

Last update for Mackay: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mackay

$802 36.9%

Nosara

$780 43% 2.8% $22

Groceries & Markets

Mackay

$397 18.2%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 11.9% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mackay

$338 15.5%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 46.8% $158

Eating Out

Mackay

$299 13.7%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 30% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Mackay

$159 7.3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 24.2% $38

Getting Around

Mackay

$97 4.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 10.5% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Mackay

$86 3.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 1.8% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Mackay versus $786 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 541% higher in Mackay, 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 $75.0 in Mackay versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇺 Mackay

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

11:38 11:38 AM

19:38 7:38 PM

16 h behind Mackay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

80,455

4,912

💱 Currency

Australian Dollar AUD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.699 USD

1 AUD = 0.623 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇺 Australian Dollar ($)

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.699 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.623 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to AUD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mackay Nosara 14,040 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Mackay
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

Mackay vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mackay is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,333 per month in Mackay and $2,756 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 14% more in Mackay, 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 $75.0 in Mackay and $60.0 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 $1,837, than in Mackay at $2,222. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mackay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mackay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.