Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Costa Mesa, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent and utilities included – about $25,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
192

Cost of Living Index in Costa Mesa, CA
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Costa Mesa, CA Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Costa Mesa, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,959

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Costa Mesa, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nosara and in Costa Mesa, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Costa Mesa, CA $3,959

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $5,540 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Costa Mesa, CA $5,540

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $7,121 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Costa Mesa, CA $7,121

Nosara is about 54% cheaper than Costa Mesa, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Costa Mesa, CA sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Costa Mesa, CA by 193%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$19.85 $19.85

-37.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$78.6 $78.6

-22.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$14.90 $14.90

-49.53%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.59 $5.59

-21.11%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$3.40 $3.40

-48.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$2.50 $2.50

-47.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$7.32 $7.32

-55.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$9.73 $9.73

-54.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.12 $1.12

39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$4.01 $4.01

-24.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$4.69 $4.69

-46.48%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$5.09 $5.09

-29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$12.82 $12.82

-42.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$20.19 $20.19

-47.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$21.58 $21.58

-35.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$5.01 $5.01

-53.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.48 $2.48

-35.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$4.53 $4.53

5.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$5.80 $5.80

-72.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$4.53 $4.53

-16.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.32 $2.32

59.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.16 $2.16

-47.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.90 $1.90

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$11.60 $11.60

-55.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$15.06 $15.06

32.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.01 $2.01

44.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$4.18 $4.18

-13.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.95 $1.95

-42.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$69.9 $69.9

3.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$6.10 $6.10

-64.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.47 $1.47

3.40%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$37.2K $37.2K

-41.92%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$25.6K $25.6K

34.98%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$218 $218

-55.75%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$68.5 $68.5

-47.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$71.5 $71.5

-25.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$39.81 $39.81

79.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$12.21 $12.21

185.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$16.67 $16.67

-52.67%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$1,196 $1,196

-58.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$57.1 $57.1

-5.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$47.38 $47.38

16.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$93.2 $93.2

-16.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$128 $128

-37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$2,726 $2,726

-71.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$2,467 $2,467

-67.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$4,187 $4,187

-5.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$3,833 $3,833

-62.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$9,284 $9,284

-25.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$7,077 $7,077

-82.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$6,286 $6,286

-86.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.39

34.90%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Costa Mesa, CA

$2.5K 62.3% 211% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Costa Mesa, CA

$480 12.1% 36.2% $128

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Costa Mesa, CA

$350 8.9% 65.3% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Costa Mesa, CA

$358 9% 92.5% $172

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Costa Mesa, CA

$147 3.7% 22.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Costa Mesa, CA

$73 1.9% 16.3% $14

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Costa Mesa, CA

$84 * 2.1% 3.8% $3.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $2,726 in Costa Mesa, CA. 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 628% higher in Costa Mesa, CA, 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $480 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇺🇸 Costa Mesa, CA

🕒 Local time

09:01 9:01 AM

08:01 8:01 AM

1 h behind Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

109,960

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

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

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Costa Mesa, CA 4,210 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Costa Mesa, CA

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

Nosara vs Costa Mesa, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 115% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $5,938 in Costa Mesa, CA. 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.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Costa Mesa, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Costa Mesa, CA at $3,959. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Costa Mesa, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nosara costs $1,839 versus $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Costa Mesa, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.