Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mesquite, TX and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,352 in Mesquite, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Mesquite, TX
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Mesquite, TX Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Mesquite, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,352

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,352 per month in Mesquite, TX vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Mesquite, TX $2,352
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $3,583 per month in Mesquite, TX vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Mesquite, TX $3,583
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $4,814 per month in Mesquite, TX vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Mesquite, TX $4,814
Nosara $3,814

Mesquite, TX costs about 28% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mesquite, TX and Nosara sit above the global median – Mesquite, TX by 74%, Nosara by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.92 $17.92

$12.34 ₡5,535

45.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 $70.6

$61.3 ₡27.5K

15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$7.76 ₡3,481

39.05%

Cappuccino

$5.38 $5.38

$4.44 ₡1,992

21.17%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.79 ₡803

40.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.29 ₡580

31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 $6.63

$3.24 ₡1,451

104.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$4.43 ₡1,985

78.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.55 ₡696

-36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.08 ₡1,380

16.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.53 ₡1,133

76.68%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$3.45 ₡1,546

17.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$7.32 ₡3,284

66.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 $11.73

$10.24 ₡4,594

14.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.99 $16.99

$14.10 ₡6,326

20.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.29 ₡1,027

120.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.64 ₡737

-3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.79 ₡2,149

-11.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.64 ₡735

184.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.85 ₡1,727

-28.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.75 ₡1,681

-19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.09 ₡488

91.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.59 ₡1,160

-10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$5.12 ₡2,295

73.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$19.92 ₡8,931

-25.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.80 ₡1,255

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.52 ₡1,580

-7.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.22 ₡549

56.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.17 ₡973

34.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.56 ₡698

27.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 $25.55

$8.67 ₡3,886

194.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.55 ₡697

-34.19%

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

$30.6K $30.6K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-11.54%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-39.75%

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

$175 $175

$94.8 ₡42.5K

84.04%

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

$64.0 $64.0

$36.15 ₡16.2K

76.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$53.1 ₡23.8K

26.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.72 $47.72

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-35.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 $12.47

$7.91 ₡3,548

57.65%

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

$1,401 $1,401

$490 ₡219.9K

185.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

80.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.78 $45.78

$54.8 ₡24.6K

-16.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.02 $41.02

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-26.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 $87.2

$80.4 ₡36.0K

8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$77.9 ₡34.9K

33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$801 ₡359.1K

109.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 $1,125

$790 ₡354.1K

42.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 $2,683

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-33.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,097 $2,097

$1,409 ₡632.0K

48.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,089 $3,089

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-56.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,126 $2,126

$1,236 ₡554.3K

72.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,868 $3,868

$887 ₡397.6K

336.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

8.62

-23.78%

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

Last update for Mesquite, TX: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mesquite, TX

$1.1K 47.8%

Nosara

$790 43% 29.8% $335

Groceries & Markets

Mesquite, TX

$397 16.9%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 12% $48

Eating Out

Mesquite, TX

$306 13%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 30.5% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mesquite, TX

$306 13%

Nosara

$184 10% 39.8% $122

Clothing & Footwear

Mesquite, TX

$125 5.3%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 3.4% $4.2

Sport & Entertainment

Mesquite, TX

$73 3.1%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 23.3% $17

Getting Around

Mesquite, TX

$21 * 0.9%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 333% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,678 in Mesquite, TX versus $801 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 336% higher in Mesquite, TX, 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 $71.0 in Mesquite, TX versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $350 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mesquite, TX

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:32 10:32 AM

09:32 9:32 AM

1 h behind Mesquite, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

150,108

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mesquite, TX Nosara 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Mesquite, TX
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

Mesquite, TX vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mesquite, TX is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,528 per month in Mesquite, TX and $2,753 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 $71.0 in Mesquite, TX and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Mesquite, TX, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,835, than in Mesquite, TX at $2,352. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mesquite, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Mesquite, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.