Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Male and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Male: $1,524 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Male
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Male Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Male

🇲🇻 Maldives

$1,524

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,524 in Male versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Male $1,524
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,454 in Male versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Male $2,454
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,385 in Male versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Male $3,385
Nosara $3,712

Living in Male costs roughly 17% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Male 14% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.86 MVR 90.3

$12.22 ₡5,509

-52.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.10 MVR 587

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-36.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 MVR 150

$7.54 ₡3,399

29.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MVR 72.9

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 MVR 73.7

Cappuccino

$3.49 MVR 53.8

$4.31 ₡1,941

-19.03%

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

$1.63 MVR 25.14

$1.72 ₡773

-5.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MVR 4.80

$1.35 ₡608

-77.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 MVR 30.50

$1.57 ₡707

26.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 MVR 24.74

$3.17 ₡1,429

-49.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 MVR 18.59

$2.42 ₡1,091

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.94 MVR 29.89

$3.57 ₡1,609

-45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 MVR 162

$7.43 ₡3,349

41.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MVR 92.7

$10.42 ₡4,697

-42.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 MVR 149

$13.66 ₡6,156

-29.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 MVR 62.5

$2.32 ₡1,044

74.57%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 MVR 48.26

$1.61 ₡728

94.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 MVR 61.4

$4.74 ₡2,138

-16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MVR 41.00

$1.66 ₡747

60.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MVR 31.10

$3.72 ₡1,679

-45.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MVR 28.95

$3.57 ₡1,611

-47.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 MVR 32.75

$1.10 ₡497

92.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MVR 9.47

$2.55 ₡1,149

-76.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.24 MVR 189

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MVR 41.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MVR 29.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 MVR 231

$4.95 ₡2,232

203.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MVR 9.74

$1.19 ₡537

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.22 MVR 466

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-58.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 MVR 30.56

$2.24 ₡1,011

-11.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 MVR 29.35

$1.55 ₡701

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 MVR 157

$8.86 ₡3,993

14.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 MVR 15.24

$1.57 ₡708

-36.94%

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

$32.9K MVR 506.6K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

50.69%

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

$28.8K MVR 443.6K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-16.95%

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

$117 MVR 1,808

$93.5 ₡42.1K

25.46%

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

$30.56 MVR 471

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-12.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 MVR 1,107

$51.5 ₡23.2K

39.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.0 MVR 1,110

$71.4 ₡32.2K

0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.45 MVR 531

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-2.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 MVR 153

$7.84 ₡3,535

26.28%

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

$185 MVR 2,860

$490 ₡220.7K

-62.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,048 MVR 47.0K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-74.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.25 MVR 605

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-26.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.98 MVR 771

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 MVR 1,323

$79.3 ₡35.7K

8.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 MVR 794

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-34.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MVR 14.6K

$786 ₡354.3K

20.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MVR 10.9K

$780 ₡351.6K

-9.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 MVR 31.4K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-47.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 MVR 23.5K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

8.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,282 MVR 35.2K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-67.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 MVR 21.5K

$1,201 ₡541.3K

15.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$837 MVR 12.9K

$876 ₡395.0K

-4.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

62.41%

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

Last update for Male: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Male

$709 46.5%

Nosara

$780 43% 9.9% $70

Groceries & Markets

Male

$233 15.3%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 50.1% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Male

$220 14.4%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 18% $40

Eating Out

Male

$126 8.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 66.6% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Male

$102 6.7%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 18.1% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Male

$92 6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 5.1% $4.7

Getting Around

Male

$44 2.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 96.3% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Male and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 5% 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: $38.00 in Male vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $350 per month, with Male cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇻 Male

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

21:31 9:31 PM

11 h behind Male

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,693 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.78 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to MVR – Maldivian Rufiyaa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇻 Maldivian Rufiyaa (Rf)

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.29 MVR (100 MVR = 5.78 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 MVR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Male Nosara 17,220 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Male
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

Male vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Male is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $948 in Male versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,524 per month in Male versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Male runs roughly 138% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,524 in Male versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Male but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Male the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Male is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Male 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 Male gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.