Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mississauga and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,572 in Mississauga, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Mississauga
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Mississauga Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Mississauga

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,572

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,572 in Mississauga versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Mississauga $2,572
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,621 in Mississauga versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Mississauga $3,621
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,670 in Mississauga versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Mississauga $4,670
Nosara $3,712

Living in Mississauga is roughly 40% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mississauga 92% above, Nosara 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.53 CA$23.56

$12.22 ₡5,509

35.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 CA$100

$60.2 ₡27.1K

16.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 CA$14.76

$7.54 ₡3,399

37.40%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CA$5.09

$4.31 ₡1,941

-17.17%

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

$1.75 CA$2.49

$1.72 ₡773

1.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.84

$1.35 ₡608

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 CA$8.02

$3.24 ₡1,459

73.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 CA$8.03

$4.48 ₡2,018

25.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 CA$3.92

$1.57 ₡707

75.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.82

$3.17 ₡1,429

-15.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.60

$2.42 ₡1,091

4.13%

Eggs

$4.39 CA$6.26

$3.57 ₡1,609

22.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 CA$15.36

$7.43 ₡3,349

45.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.91

$10.42 ₡4,697

7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 CA$18.04

$13.66 ₡6,156

-7.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.79

$2.32 ₡1,044

44.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 CA$2.06

$1.61 ₡728

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.66

$4.74 ₡2,138

-31.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.92

$1.66 ₡747

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.30

$3.72 ₡1,679

-56.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CA$3.29

$3.57 ₡1,611

-35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.14

$1.10 ₡497

100.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.08

$2.55 ₡1,149

-42.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.52 CA$20.69

$4.95 ₡2,232

193.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 CA$18.09

$20.01 ₡9,020

-36.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 CA$3.25

$2.79 ₡1,256

-18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.57

$3.53 ₡1,589

-29.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 CA$3.97

$1.19 ₡537

134.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 CA$140

$72.1 ₡32.5K

36.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 CA$4.23

$2.24 ₡1,011

32.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 CA$1.82

$1.55 ₡701

-18.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.72 CA$29.54

$8.86 ₡3,993

133.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 CA$1.69

$1.57 ₡708

-24.20%

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

$28.0K CA$39.9K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

28.28%

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

$19.8K CA$28.2K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-42.80%

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

$137 CA$196

$93.5 ₡42.1K

46.82%

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

$34.59 CA$49.31

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.65 CA$65.1

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-11.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.59 CA$53.6

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-47.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 CA$50.1

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-0.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.89

$7.84 ₡3,535

42.22%

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

$346 CA$493

$490 ₡220.7K

-29.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K CA$15.0K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-11.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.29 CA$61.7

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-19.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.78 CA$53.9

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-32.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 CA$121

$79.3 ₡35.7K

7.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$144

$78.9 ₡35.6K

27.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 CA$2,325

$786 ₡354.3K

107.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 CA$2,069

$780 ₡351.6K

86.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 CA$3,532

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 CA$2,941

$1,407 ₡634.4K

46.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,199 CA$10.3K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

3.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,391 CA$7,684

$1,201 ₡541.3K

348.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,230 CA$4,604

$876 ₡395.0K

268.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.55

8.62

-47.22%

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

Last update for Mississauga: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mississauga

$1.5K 56.5%

Nosara

$780 43% 46.3% $671

Groceries & Markets

Mississauga

$345 13.4%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 1.3% $4.6

Eating Out

Mississauga

$258 10%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 18.7% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mississauga

$217 8.5%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 17.2% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Mississauga

$120 4.7%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 0.1% $0.2

Getting Around

Mississauga

$119 4.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 26.8% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Mississauga

$60 2.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 45.4% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Mississauga and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mississauga pays 269% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Mississauga vs $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $350, with Mississauga cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Mississauga

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

23:31 11:31 PM

21:31 9:31 PM

2 h behind Mississauga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

721,599

4,912

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 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).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mississauga Nosara 3,780 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Mississauga
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

Mississauga vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mississauga and Nosara differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($2,572 vs $1,837 including rent). Nosara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 269% higher in Mississauga, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,631 in Mississauga versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $70.0 in Mississauga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,572 per month in Mississauga versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,837 in Nosara versus $2,572 in Mississauga, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Mississauga. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mississauga and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Mississauga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.