Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moratuwa and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $1,846 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,846

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $131 per month in Moratuwa vs $1,846 in Nosara, rent included.

Moratuwa $131
Nosara $1,846

A couple spends around $211 per month in Moratuwa vs $2,833 in Nosara, rent included.

Moratuwa $211
Nosara $2,833

A family of three spends $291 per month in Moratuwa vs $3,820 in Nosara, rent included.

Moratuwa $291
Nosara $3,820

Moratuwa is about 93% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Moratuwa sits 90% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.36 ₡5,575

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 ₡3,557

Cappuccino

$1.84 LKR 611

$4.40 ₡1,986

-58.18%

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

$0.71 LKR 234

$1.72 ₡776

-58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 LKR 49.28

$1.34 ₡603

-88.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 LKR 616

$3.34 ₡1,505

-44.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LKR 816

$4.54 ₡2,048

-45.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 417

$1.64 ₡739

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 154

$3.16 ₡1,426

-85.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$2.39 ₡1,080

-65.69%

Eggs

$2.36 LKR 785

$3.47 ₡1,564

-31.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 LKR 4,078

$7.13 ₡3,217

72.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,655

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,302

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,031

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 LKR 154

$1.62 ₡731

-71.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 ₡2,169

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₡758

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,765

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 ₡1,640

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡509

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₡1,188

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 ₡2,267

Wine (Bottle)

$19.71 ₡8,893

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,314

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₡1,597

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₡545

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 ₡33.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₡969

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡738

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ₡3,958

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡700

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

$33.9K ₡15.3M

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

$38.5K ₡17.4M

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

$95.2 ₡43.0K

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

$4.44 LKR 1,475

$36.29 ₡16.4K

-87.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 ₡23.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.01 LKR 4,989

$67.6 ₡30.5K

-77.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.08 LKR 1,024

$35.55 ₡16.0K

-91.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ₡3,404

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

$496 ₡224.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ₡24.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.05 LKR 2,013

$56.1 ₡25.3K

-89.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₡35.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₡368.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 ₡363.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,988 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₡644.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,068 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ₡540.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 ₡400.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moratuwa

–

Nosara

$806 43.7%

Groceries & Markets

Moratuwa

–

Nosara

$351 19%

Eating Out

Moratuwa

–

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moratuwa

–

Nosara

$184 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Moratuwa

–

Nosara

$121 6.5%

Getting Around

Moratuwa

–

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Sport & Entertainment

Moratuwa

–

Nosara

$83 4.5%

Good to know

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

16:11 4:11 PM

11 h 30 min behind Moratuwa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,000

4,912

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Moratuwa Nosara 17,560 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Moratuwa
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

Moratuwa vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 1306%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $197 per month in Moratuwa and $2,769 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $131 in Moratuwa and $1,846 in Nosara. That makes Moratuwa about 93% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 406% more in Nosara, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moratuwa, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Nosara at $1,846. In Moratuwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $1,846 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.