Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Maseru: $658 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Maseru
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Maseru Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Maseru

🇱🇸 Lesotho

$658

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $658 in Maseru versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Maseru $658
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,123 in Maseru versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Maseru $1,123
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Maseru versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Maseru $1,588
Nosara $3,712

Living in Maseru costs roughly 64% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maseru is 51% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 LSL 149

$12.22 ₡5,509

-25.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.68 LSL 391

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-60.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LSL 138

$7.54 ₡3,399

10.74%

Cappuccino

$2.01 LSL 33.20

$4.31 ₡1,941

-53.36%

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

$1.05 LSL 17.27

$1.72 ₡773

-38.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LSL 13.18

$1.35 ₡608

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 LSL 28.89

$3.24 ₡1,459

-45.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LSL 40.61

$4.48 ₡2,018

-45.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 LSL 19.47

$1.57 ₡707

-24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 LSL 13.14

$3.17 ₡1,429

-74.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LSL 29.34

$2.42 ₡1,091

-26.45%

Eggs

$1.53 LSL 25.23

$3.57 ₡1,609

-57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.71 LSL 111

$7.43 ₡3,349

-9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 LSL 104

$10.42 ₡4,697

-39.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.20 LSL 102

$13.66 ₡6,156

-54.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 LSL 31.60

$2.32 ₡1,044

-17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 LSL 37.95

$1.61 ₡728

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 LSL 43.54

$4.74 ₡2,138

-44.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 LSL 39.02

$1.66 ₡747

42.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 LSL 26.25

$3.72 ₡1,679

-57.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 LSL 26.75

$3.57 ₡1,611

-54.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 LSL 25.10

$1.10 ₡497

38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 LSL 12.88

$2.55 ₡1,149

-69.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 LSL 83.0

$4.95 ₡2,232

1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 LSL 121

$20.01 ₡9,020

-63.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 LSL 16.99

$2.79 ₡1,256

-63.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 LSL 25.15

$3.53 ₡1,589

-56.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 LSL 12.68

$1.19 ₡537

-35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.06 LSL 496

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-58.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 LSL 12.05

$2.24 ₡1,011

-67.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 LSL 10.36

$1.55 ₡701

-59.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 LSL 60.3

$8.86 ₡3,993

-58.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LSL 22.02

$1.57 ₡708

-15.29%

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

$20.9K LSL 344.3K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

-4.29%

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

$16.4K LSL 270.6K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-52.66%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$14.63 LSL 241

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-58.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.63 LSL 621

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-26.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.17 LSL 382

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-67.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$51.2 LSL 845

$490 ₡220.7K

-89.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 LSL 19.5K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-90.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.25 LSL 763

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-13.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 LSL 911

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 LSL 1,736

$79.3 ₡35.7K

32.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 LSL 2,493

$78.9 ₡35.6K

91.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LSL 1,525

$786 ₡354.3K

-88.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.8 LSL 920

$780 ₡351.6K

-92.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 LSL 7,025

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-88.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LSL 2,851

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-87.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$377 LSL 6,219

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-94.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$514 LSL 8,481

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 LSL 10.4K

$876 ₡395.0K

-28.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

8.62

-1.39%

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

Last update for Maseru: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Maseru

$195 29.3%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 78.9% $154

Clothing & Footwear

Maseru

$161 24.1%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 25.2% $41

Eating Out

Maseru

$143 21.4%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 46.7% $67

Accommodation & Living

Maseru

$56 8.4%

Nosara

$780 43% 1298% $724

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maseru

$52 * 7.8%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 245% $128

Getting Around

Maseru

$37 5.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 135% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Maseru

$23 * 3.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 276% $64

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 $92.4 in Maseru and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 39% 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: $24.00 in Maseru vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $350 per month, with Maseru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇸 Maseru

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

02:48 2:48 AM

8 h behind Maseru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

227,880 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Lesotho Loti LSL L

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 LSL = 6.06 USD

100 LSL = 5.4 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to LSL – Lesotho Loti Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇸 Lesotho Loti (L)

Lesotho Loti exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 LSL (100 LSL = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.51 LSL (100 LSL = 5.4 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 LSL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Maseru Nosara 12,780 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Maseru
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

Maseru vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maseru and Nosara differ by about 179% in total monthly costs ($658 vs $1,837 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $92.4 in Maseru versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $658 per month in Maseru versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 179% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $658 in Maseru versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maseru but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Maseru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Maseru 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 Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.