Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mashhad and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $485 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$485

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $485 per month in Mashhad vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Mashhad $485
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $770 per month in Mashhad vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Mashhad $770
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,055 per month in Mashhad vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Mashhad $1,055
Nosara $3,712

Mashhad is about 74% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mashhad sits 64% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 $3.03

$12.22 ₡5,509

-75.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.20 $18.20

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-69.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 $4.89

$7.54 ₡3,399

-35.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

Cappuccino

$1.09 $1.09

$4.31 ₡1,941

-74.71%

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

$0.43 $0.43

$1.72 ₡773

-75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.35 ₡608

-80.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.57 ₡707

-60.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.19 $0.19

$3.17 ₡1,429

-94.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.42 ₡1,091

-16.12%

Eggs

$1.10 $1.10

$3.57 ₡1,609

-69.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$7.43 ₡3,349

-70.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$10.42 ₡4,697

-73.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$13.66 ₡6,156

-23.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.32 ₡1,044

-58.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.61 ₡728

-6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 $0.78

$4.74 ₡2,138

-83.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.66 ₡747

-65.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$3.72 ₡1,679

-85.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$3.57 ₡1,611

-86.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.10 ₡497

-56.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

$2.55 ₡1,149

-88.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 $0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 $0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 $3.03

$4.95 ₡2,232

-38.79%

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)

$0.02 $0.02

$1.19 ₡537

-98.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.72 $3.72

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-94.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 $0.19

$2.24 ₡1,011

-91.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.55 ₡701

-68.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$8.86 ₡3,993

-77.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.57 ₡708

-47.77%

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

$60.2K $60.2K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

176.17%

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

$66.2K $66.2K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

91.03%

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

$13.58 $13.58

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-85.47%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-92.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.42 $27.42

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-46.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.38 $19.38

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-72.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 $14.98

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-57.73%

Cinema Ticket

$2.03 $2.03

$7.84 ₡3,535

-74.11%

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

$40.02 $40.02

$490 ₡220.7K

-91.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$622 $622

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-94.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.92 $19.92

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-62.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.69 $38.69

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-30.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 $93.5

$79.3 ₡35.7K

18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 $68.6

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 $213

$786 ₡354.3K

-72.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 $148

$780 ₡351.6K

-81.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 $400

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-89.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 $272

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-80.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,125 $1,125

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-83.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$689 $689

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-42.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 $252

$876 ₡395.0K

-71.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

8.62

149.42%

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

Last update for Mashhad: 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

Mashhad

$148 31.1%

Nosara

$780 43% 427% $632

Groceries & Markets

Mashhad

$100 21%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 249% $249

Clothing & Footwear

Mashhad

$99 20.9%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 21.1% $21

Eating Out

Mashhad

$55 11.5%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 282% $155

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mashhad

$44 9.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 312% $136

Sport & Entertainment

Mashhad

$23 4.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 272% $64

Getting Around

Mashhad

$6.4 1.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 1249% $80

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $213 in Mashhad versus $786 in Nosara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 247% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mashhad versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $350 – making Mashhad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

07:17 7:17 AM

21:47 9:47 PM

9 h 30 min behind Mashhad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,001,184

4,912

💱 Currency

USD 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 – USD Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mashhad Nosara 13,720 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Mashhad
Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mashhad vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 279% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $727 per month in Mashhad and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mashhad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $485 in Mashhad and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 279%.

Public transport costs about 1837% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mashhad, where all-in costs run around $485, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Mashhad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mashhad costs $485 versus $1,837 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mashhad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.