Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandeville, LA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $1,958 in Mandeville, LA, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Mandeville, LA
Learn more

Mandeville, LA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Mandeville, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,958

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,958 in Mandeville, LA versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Mandeville, LA $1,958
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,889 in Mandeville, LA versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Mandeville, LA $2,889
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,820 in Mandeville, LA versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Mandeville, LA $3,820
Nosara $3,712

Living in Mandeville, LA is roughly 7% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mandeville, LA 46% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.62 $13.62

$12.22 ₡5,509

11.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 $53.9

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-10.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 $11.82

$7.54 ₡3,399

56.76%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$4.31 ₡1,941

29.47%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$1.72 ₡773

26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.35 ₡608

27.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.24 ₡1,459

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 $6.79

$4.48 ₡2,018

51.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.57 ₡707

-46.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.17 ₡1,429

9.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.42 ₡1,091

-15.29%

Eggs

$1.92 $1.92

$3.57 ₡1,609

-46.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$7.43 ₡3,349

42.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 $8.91

$10.42 ₡4,697

-14.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$13.66 ₡6,156

2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.32 ₡1,044

45.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.61 ₡728

-18.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$4.74 ₡2,138

-44.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.66 ₡747

149.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.72 ₡1,679

-55.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$3.57 ₡1,611

-46.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.10 ₡497

55.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.55 ₡1,149

-16.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.97 $8.97

$4.95 ₡2,232

81.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$20.01 ₡9,020

-24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.79 ₡1,256

-29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.53 ₡1,589

-42.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.24 ₡1,011

14.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.55 ₡701

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.88 $25.88

$8.86 ₡3,993

192.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.57 ₡708

-50.32%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

71.51%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-30.28%

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

$152 $152

$93.5 ₡42.1K

62.79%

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

$39.86 $39.86

$35.11 ₡15.8K

13.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$51.5 ₡23.2K

35.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.93 $28.93

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-59.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 $12.81

$7.84 ₡3,535

63.39%

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

$609 $609

$490 ₡220.7K

24.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,329 $9,329

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-21.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.64 $47.64

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.74 $29.74

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-46.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$79.3 ₡35.7K

0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 $80.4

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 $1,185

$786 ₡354.3K

50.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$908 $908

$780 ₡351.6K

16.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,910 $1,910

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-50.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 $1,636

$1,407 ₡634.4K

16.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,904 $1,904

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-72.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,622 $1,622

$1,201 ₡541.3K

35.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,413 $4,413

$876 ₡395.0K

403.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

8.62

-24.13%

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

Last update for Mandeville, LA: 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

Mandeville, LA

$908 47.2%

Nosara

$780 43% 14.1% $128

Groceries & Markets

Mandeville, LA

$319 16.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 9.7% $31

Eating Out

Mandeville, LA

$266 13.8%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 21.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mandeville, LA

$262 13.6%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 31.2% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Mandeville, LA

$107 5.6%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 12.6% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Mandeville, LA

$55 2.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 59.6% $33

Getting Around

Mandeville, LA

$11 * 0.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 701% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,185 in Mandeville, LA and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandeville, LA pays 404% 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: $54.0 in Mandeville, LA vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $350 per month, with Mandeville, LA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mandeville, LA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:42 4:42 AM

03:42 3:42 AM

1 h behind Mandeville, LA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,192

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mandeville, LA Nosara 2,310 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mandeville, LA
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

Mandeville, LA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 404% higher in Mandeville, LA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,185 in Mandeville, LA versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mandeville, LA pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,958 per month in Mandeville, LA versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $1,958 in Mandeville, LA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Mandeville, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Mandeville, LA 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 Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Mandeville, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.