Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Martin and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Martin: $1,400 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Martin
🇸🇰 Slovakia
$1,400
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,400 in Martin versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • Martin $1,400
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,997 in Martin versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • Martin $1,997
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,594 in Martin versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • Martin $2,594
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in Martin costs roughly 24% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Martin 3% above, Nosara 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Martin
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.19 €8.18
$12.34 ₡5,535
-25.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.33 €39.43
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-27.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.09 €8.09
$7.76 ₡3,481
17.14%
Cappuccino
$2.82 €2.51
$4.44 ₡1,992
-36.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.79 ₡803
4.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.29 ₡580
-3.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.08 €1.85
$3.24 ₡1,451
-35.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 €2.02
$4.43 ₡1,985
-48.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Martin
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 €0.94
$1.55 ₡696
-32.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 €1.36
$3.08 ₡1,380
-50.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 €1.79
$2.53 ₡1,133
-20.55%
Eggs
$3.49 €3.11
$3.45 ₡1,546
1.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 €11.35
$7.32 ₡3,284
74.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.38 €6.57
$10.24 ₡4,594
-27.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.72 €11.31
$14.10 ₡6,326
-9.79%
Apples (1kg)
$1.19 €1.06
$2.29 ₡1,027
-48.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 €1.52
$1.64 ₡737
4.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.40 €2.13
$4.79 ₡2,149
-49.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 €1.88
$1.64 ₡735
29.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 €1.18
$3.85 ₡1,727
-65.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.56 €1.39
$3.75 ₡1,681
-58.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 €1.41
$1.09 ₡488
45.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 €0.73
$2.59 ₡1,160
-68.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.88 €5.23
$5.12 ₡2,295
14.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.74 €4.21
$19.92 ₡8,931
-76.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.85
$2.80 ₡1,255
-65.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.65
$3.52 ₡1,580
-47.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Martin
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.22 ₡549
16.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.55 €24.51
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-62.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.64 €1.46
$2.17 ₡973
-24.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.56 ₡698
-19.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.80 €20.28
$8.67 ₡3,886
162.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.55 ₡697
10.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K €19.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-35.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.7K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-31.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Martin
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$303 €270
$94.8 ₡42.5K
219.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.60 €17.43
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-45.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.32 €10.96
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-76.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Martin
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.72 €31.78
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-51.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.01 €15.13
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-52.26%
Cinema Ticket
$9.68 €8.61
$7.91 ₡3,548
22.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Martin
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$338 €301
$490 ₡219.9K
-31.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.4K €9,256
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-12.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Martin
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.2 €62.4
$54.8 ₡24.6K
28.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$13.65 €12.14
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-75.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 €68.5
$80.4 ₡36.0K
-4.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 €82.5
$77.9 ₡34.9K
19.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Martin
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$505 €449
$801 ₡359.1K
-36.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 €404
$790 ₡354.1K
-42.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$772 €687
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-80.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$664 €591
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-52.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,297 €2,043
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-67.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,770 €1,574
$1,236 ₡554.3K
43.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Martin
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,487 €1,323
$887 ₡397.6K
67.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
8.62
-56.03%

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

Last update for Martin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Martin
$454
Nosara
$790 74% $336
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Martin
$335
Nosara
$184 45.1% $151
Groceries & Markets
Martin
$239
Nosara
$350 46.4% $111
Eating Out
Martin
$162
Nosara
$213 31.2% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Martin
$114
Nosara
$121 6.1% $7
Sport & Entertainment
Martin
$55
Nosara
$90 62.7% $35
Getting Around
Martin
$41
Nosara
$89 116% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Martin and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Martin vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $350 per month, with Martin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇰 Martin
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
19:31 7:31 PM
11:31 11:31 AM
8 h behind Martin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
58,794
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Martin Nosara 10,210 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Martin
  • 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
Martin vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Martin?
Martin is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Martin or Nosara?
Average pay runs 68% higher in Martin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Martin and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $505 in Martin versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Martin and in Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $1,400 per month in Martin versus $1,835 in Nosara – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Martin runs roughly 168% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Martin or in Nosara?
At $1,400 in Martin versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Martin but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Martin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Martin or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Martin 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.
Which city is safer, Martin or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Martin 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Martin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Martin vs other spots: cost of living compared

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