Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mestre and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Mestre and in Nosara: $1,794 and $1,839 a month, rent and utilities included.

Mestre
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,794
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,794 per month in Mestre vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Mestre $1,794
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,822 per month in Mestre vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Mestre $2,822
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,851 per month in Mestre vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Mestre $3,851
  • Nosara $3,818

Mestre is about 2% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Mestre and Nosara sit above the global median – Mestre by 33%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.40 €11.92
$12.35 ₡5,539
8.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.4 €79.5
$61.2 ₡27.4K
46.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.08 €10.74
$7.52 ₡3,373
60.64%
Cappuccino
$2.13 €1.89
$4.41 ₡1,978
-51.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 €2.54
$1.74 ₡780
63.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 €1.31
$1.31 ₡587
12.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.71 €5.97
$3.28 ₡1,471
104.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.26 €4.68
$4.47 ₡2,004
17.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 €1.47
$1.56 ₡701
5.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 €2.20
$3.02 ₡1,355
-18.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.72
$2.51 ₡1,125
21.51%
Eggs
$3.78 €3.36
$3.57 ₡1,603
5.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.04 €15.16
$7.43 ₡3,333
129.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.85 €11.43
$10.52 ₡4,717
22.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.43 €19.06
$13.97 ₡6,265
53.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 €2.69
$2.35 ₡1,052
28.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.61 ₡720
23.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.54 €3.15
$4.80 ₡2,152
-26.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.13 €2.78
$1.61 ₡724
94.41%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$3.80 ₡1,703
-46.84%
Onion (1kg)
$2.25 €2.01
$3.69 ₡1,657
-39.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.13 ₡507
46.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.51
$2.66 ₡1,191
-78.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.67 €5.94
$5.18 ₡2,321
28.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.59 €5.87
$19.88 ₡8,916
-66.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.36
$2.90 ₡1,300
-47.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.60
$3.63 ₡1,626
-50.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 €1.53
$1.12 ₡504
52.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.26 €36.70
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-43.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.70 €4.18
$2.14 ₡958
119.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.57 ₡703
-11.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.34 €27.88
$8.52 ₡3,823
267.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 €1.85
$1.52 ₡682
36.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K €32.6K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
69.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K €31.8K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
3.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 €185
$96.3 ₡43.2K
116.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.63 €7.67
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-75.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.10 €26.77
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-43.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.40 €42.16
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-33.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.69 €17.52
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-43.60%
Cinema Ticket
$11.11 €9.88
$7.89 ₡3,539
40.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$681 €605
$494 ₡221.6K
37.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K €10.1K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-4.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.8 €69.2
$53.9 ₡24.2K
44.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.27 €29.60
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-39.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.7
$77.9 ₡34.9K
33.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$167 €148
$79.6 ₡35.7K
109.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 €735
$788 ₡353.4K
4.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$661 €588
$794 ₡356.2K
-16.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,452 €1,291
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-63.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,189 €1,057
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-16.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,889 €1,681
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-72.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,579 €1,405
$1,224 ₡549.0K
29.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mestre
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,955 €1,739
$864 ₡387.3K
126.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.34
8.62
-61.25%

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

Last update for Mestre: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mestre
$661
Nosara
$794 20.1% $133
Groceries & Markets
Mestre
$354
Nosara
$352 0.4% $1.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mestre
$247
Nosara
$186 24.8% $61
Eating Out
Mestre
$230
Nosara
$212 8.1% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Mestre
$172
Nosara
$120 30.2% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Mestre
$70
Nosara
$87 25.5% $18
Getting Around
Mestre
$60
Nosara
$87 45.7% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $826 in Mestre versus $788 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 126% higher in Mestre, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Mestre versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Mestre
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
18:32 6:32 PM
10:32 10:32 AM
8 h behind Mestre
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
87,377
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Mestre Nosara 9,820 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mestre
  • 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
Mestre vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mestre and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,794 in Mestre, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Mestre compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,691 per month in Mestre and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mestre and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mestre, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mestre or Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,794 in Mestre and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 3%.
How do commuting costs compare in Mestre and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 76% less in Mestre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mestre, where all-in costs run around $1,794, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Mestre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Mestre and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,794 in Mestre to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Mestre or Nosara safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Mestre and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Mestre. 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.

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