Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mesa, AZ and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,594 in Mesa, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Mesa, AZ
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Mesa, AZ Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Mesa, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,594

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,594 per month in Mesa, AZ vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Mesa, AZ $2,594
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,806 per month in Mesa, AZ vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Mesa, AZ $3,806
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,018 per month in Mesa, AZ vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Mesa, AZ $5,018
Nosara $3,712

Mesa, AZ costs about 41% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mesa, AZ and Nosara sit above the global median – Mesa, AZ by 94%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 $20.06

$12.22 ₡5,509

64.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$60.2 ₡27.1K

35.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.02 $13.02

$7.54 ₡3,399

72.68%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$4.31 ₡1,941

42.46%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.72 ₡773

59.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.35 ₡608

65.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.24 ₡1,459

86.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 $7.50

$4.48 ₡2,018

67.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.57 ₡707

-44.59%

White Bread (500g)

$4.25 $4.25

$3.17 ₡1,429

34.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.42 ₡1,091

147.52%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$3.57 ₡1,609

24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$7.43 ₡3,349

78.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 $13.73

$10.42 ₡4,697

31.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.41 $17.41

$13.66 ₡6,156

27.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$2.32 ₡1,044

136.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.61 ₡728

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.74 ₡2,138

-11.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$1.66 ₡747

216.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.72 ₡1,679

-11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.57 ₡1,611

-18.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.10 ₡497

94.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.55 ₡1,149

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$4.95 ₡2,232

115.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 $14.61

$20.01 ₡9,020

-26.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.79 ₡1,256

-13.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.53 ₡1,589

-3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.19 ₡537

115.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.67 $35.67

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-50.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.24 ₡1,011

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.55 ₡701

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.58 $35.58

$8.86 ₡3,993

301.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.57 ₡708

-24.84%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

64.14%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-26.84%

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

$241 $241

$93.5 ₡42.1K

158.11%

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

$62.3 $62.3

$35.11 ₡15.8K

77.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$51.5 ₡23.2K

42.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.45 $41.45

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-41.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.80 $10.80

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-69.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 $13.02

$7.84 ₡3,535

66.07%

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

$1,179 $1,179

$490 ₡220.7K

140.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

33.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 $54.8

$53.5 ₡24.1K

2.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.58 $42.58

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 $99.7

$79.3 ₡35.7K

25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$78.9 ₡35.6K

45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$786 ₡354.3K

71.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$780 ₡351.6K

52.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,292 $2,292

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-40.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 $1,998

$1,407 ₡634.4K

41.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,970 $2,970

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-57.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,566 $3,566

$1,201 ₡541.3K

196.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,124 $4,124

$876 ₡395.0K

370.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

8.62

-25.29%

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

Last update for Mesa, AZ: 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

Mesa, AZ

$1.2K 45.6%

Nosara

$780 43% 34.5% $410

Groceries & Markets

Mesa, AZ

$439 16.8%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 20.3% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mesa, AZ

$377 14.5%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 52.2% $197

Eating Out

Mesa, AZ

$338 13%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 38.1% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Mesa, AZ

$140 5.4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 14.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Mesa, AZ

$67 2.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 29% $20

Getting Around

Mesa, AZ

$56 2.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 56% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,349 in Mesa, AZ 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 371% higher in Mesa, AZ, 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 $82.0 in Mesa, AZ versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mesa, AZ

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:52 4:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

1 h ahead of Mesa, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

504,258

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

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Between locations

Mesa, AZ Nosara 3,730 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Mesa, AZ
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

Mesa, AZ vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mesa, AZ costs about 41% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,890 per month in Mesa, AZ 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 Nosara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Mesa, AZ and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,594 in Mesa, AZ and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 41%.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Mesa, AZ at $2,594. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mesa, AZ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,837 versus $2,594 in Mesa, AZ. 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mesa, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.