Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Midland, MI and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Midland, MI and in Nosara: $1,895 and $1,839 a month, rent and utilities included.

Midland, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$1,895
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,895 per month in Midland, MI vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Midland, MI $1,895
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,720 per month in Midland, MI vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Midland, MI $2,720
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,546 per month in Midland, MI vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Midland, MI $3,546
  • Nosara $3,818

Midland, MI costs about 3% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Midland, MI and Nosara sit above the global median – Midland, MI by 40%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.36 $20.36
$12.35 ₡5,539
64.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.67 $49.67
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-18.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.92 $9.92
$7.52 ₡3,373
31.91%
Cappuccino
$5.04 $5.04
$4.41 ₡1,978
14.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.74 ₡780
22.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.31 ₡587
17.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.67 $3.67
$3.28 ₡1,471
11.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.96 $4.96
$4.47 ₡2,004
10.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 $0.90
$1.56 ₡701
-42.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 $2.68
$3.02 ₡1,355
-11.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.51 ₡1,125
-11.95%
Eggs
$3.21 $3.21
$3.57 ₡1,603
-10.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.27 $11.27
$7.43 ₡3,333
51.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.63 $7.63
$10.52 ₡4,717
-27.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.01 $11.01
$13.97 ₡6,265
-21.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.35 ₡1,052
39.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.61 ₡720
-6.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$4.80 ₡2,152
-9.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.83 $3.83
$1.61 ₡724
137.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.67 $2.67
$3.80 ₡1,703
-29.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$3.69 ₡1,657
-46.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.13 ₡507
73.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 $0.97
$2.66 ₡1,191
-63.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.19 $10.19
$5.18 ₡2,321
96.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 $13.35
$19.88 ₡8,916
-32.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$2.90 ₡1,300
-31.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 $3.16
$3.63 ₡1,626
-12.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.12 ₡504
75.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$122 $122
$72.6 ₡32.6K
67.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.14 ₡958
17.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.48 $2.48
$1.57 ₡703
57.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.94 $39.94
$8.52 ₡3,823
368.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.97 $0.97
$1.52 ₡682
-36.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K $35.6K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
64.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-25.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 $181
$96.3 ₡43.2K
87.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.35 $39.35
$35.89 ₡16.1K
9.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.67 $49.67
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-7.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.23 $42.23
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-41.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$32.33 $32.33
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-7.39%
Cinema Ticket
$12.07 $12.07
$7.89 ₡3,539
52.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,725 $1,725
$494 ₡221.6K
249.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K $14.2K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
19.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.34 $45.34
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-15.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.78 $39.78
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-28.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.6 $71.6
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-8.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.1 $80.1
$79.6 ₡35.7K
0.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$690 $690
$788 ₡353.4K
-12.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$713 $713
$794 ₡356.2K
-10.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,766 $1,766
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-55.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,003 $1,003
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-29.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,827 $1,827
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-73.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,823 $1,823
$1,224 ₡549.0K
48.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Midland, MI
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,656 $6,656
$864 ₡387.3K
670.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
8.62
-24.48%

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

Last update for Midland, MI: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Midland, MI
$713
Nosara
$794 11.5% $82
Groceries & Markets
Midland, MI
$299
Nosara
$352 17.9% $53
Eating Out
Midland, MI
$296
Nosara
$212 28.5% $84
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Midland, MI
$270
Nosara
$186 31.2% $84
Getting Around
Midland, MI
$144
Nosara
$87 39.7% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Midland, MI
$107
Nosara
$120 12.7% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Midland, MI
$66
Nosara
$87 31.6% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $690 in Midland, MI 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 671% higher in Midland, MI, 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 $50.0 in Midland, MI versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $352 – making Midland, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Midland, MI
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
06:44 6:44 AM
04:44 4:44 AM
2 h behind Midland, MI
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
132,524
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Midland, MI Nosara 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Midland, MI
  • 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
Midland, MI vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Midland, MI and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,895 in Midland, MI, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Midland, MI compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,842 per month in Midland, MI 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 Midland, MI and Nosara?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Midland, MI or Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,895 in Midland, MI and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 3%.
How do commuting costs compare in Midland, MI and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 67% less in Nosara. 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 Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Midland, MI at $1,895. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Midland, MI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Midland, MI and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $1,895 in Midland, MI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Midland, MI 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 Midland, MI and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Midland, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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