Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Makassar and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Makassar: $641 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Makassar
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Makassar Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Makassar

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$641

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $641 in Makassar versus $1,839 in Nosara.

Makassar $641
Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Makassar versus $2,828 in Nosara.

Makassar $985
Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,328 in Makassar versus $3,818 in Nosara.

Makassar $1,328
Nosara $3,818

Living in Makassar costs roughly 65% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makassar is 53% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

$12.35 ₡5,539

-86.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.88 Rp 159.8K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-85.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.15 Rp 56.7K

$7.52 ₡3,373

-58.11%

Cappuccino

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$4.41 ₡1,978

-56.46%

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

$0.50 Rp 9,030

$1.74 ₡780

-71.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,497

$1.31 ₡587

-72.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 44.8K

$3.28 ₡1,471

-24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.4K

$4.47 ₡2,004

-26.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.56 ₡701

1.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$3.02 ₡1,355

-67.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$2.51 ₡1,125

-75.30%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$3.57 ₡1,603

-57.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 Rp 113.3K

$7.43 ₡3,333

-15.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 Rp 61.9K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-67.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 Rp 94.3K

$13.97 ₡6,265

-62.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 42.3K

$2.35 ₡1,052

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 24.5K

$1.61 ₡720

-15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

$4.80 ₡2,152

-60.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

$1.61 ₡724

15.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.6K

$3.80 ₡1,703

-67.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$3.69 ₡1,657

-57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.13 ₡507

-35.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,526

$2.66 ₡1,191

-84.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 Rp 47.4K

$5.18 ₡2,321

-49.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.11 Rp 398.0K

$19.88 ₡8,916

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

$2.90 ₡1,300

-37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 54.0K

$3.63 ₡1,626

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,854

$1.12 ₡504

-75.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.30 Rp 77.5K

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-94.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,781

$2.14 ₡958

-77.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,271

$1.57 ₡703

-77.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 Rp 47.9K

$8.52 ₡3,823

-68.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$1.52 ₡682

-51.32%

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

$23.9K Rp 430.8M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

10.75%

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

$30.9K Rp 557.0M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-10.36%

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

$89.0 Rp 1.6M

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-7.61%

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

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-92.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.90 Rp 448.1K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-53.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 Rp 386.5K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-70.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.40 Rp 151.1K

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-75.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 Rp 60.5K

$7.89 ₡3,539

-57.41%

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

$93.5 Rp 1.7M

$494 ₡221.6K

-81.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,746 Rp 67.4M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-68.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.95 Rp 485.2K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-50.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.52 Rp 423.3K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-57.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 Rp 1.4M

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.00 Rp 720.0K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-49.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$788 ₡353.4K

-70.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 Rp 2.7M

$794 ₡356.2K

-81.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 Rp 9.8M

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-86.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 Rp 6.5M

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-74.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 Rp 20.9M

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-83.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$803 Rp 14.5M

$1,224 ₡549.0K

-34.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$864 ₡387.3K

-75.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

8.62

9.74%

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

Last update for Makassar: 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

Makassar

$197 30.7%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 78.8% $155

Accommodation & Living

Makassar

$148 23.1%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 436% $646

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Makassar

$117 18.2%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 59.4% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Makassar

$75 11.6%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 61% $46

Eating Out

Makassar

$69 10.7%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 208% $143

Sport & Entertainment

Makassar

$28 4.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 210% $59

Getting Around

Makassar

$7.6 1.2%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 1045% $80

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Makassar and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 304% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Makassar vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $352 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Makassar

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

00:36 12:36 AM

10:36 10:36 AM

14 h behind Makassar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,427,619

4,912

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,238 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 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).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Makassar Nosara 17,200 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Makassar
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

Makassar vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 187% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 304% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $232 in Makassar versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 1589% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $93.5 in Makassar versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $641 in Makassar versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $641 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makassar 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.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.