Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Lalmatie

For one person, living is cheaper in Lalmatie: $706 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
34

Cost of Living Index in Lalmatie
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Lalmatie Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Lalmatie

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$706

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Lalmatie

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 Lalmatie actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $706 in Lalmatie.

Nosara $1,839
Lalmatie $706

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $1,247 in Lalmatie.

Nosara $2,828
Lalmatie $1,247

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,788 in Lalmatie.

Nosara $3,818
Lalmatie $1,788

Living in Nosara is roughly 161% more expensive than in Lalmatie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Lalmatie is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$5.94 MUR 280

107.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$38.00 MUR 1,789

61.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$7.33 MUR 345

2.59%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.68 MUR 126

64.55%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.99 MUR 46.46

75.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.51 MUR 24.16

156.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.92 MUR 90.5

70.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.07 MUR 97.7

115.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.53 MUR 72.2

1.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.20 MUR 9.58

1410.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.14 MUR 53.8

120.18%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.64 MUR 124

35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$12.28 MUR 578

-39.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$6.10 MUR 287

72.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$11.38 MUR 536

22.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.83 MUR 133

-16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.51 MUR 118

-35.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.45 MUR 68.3

231.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.97 MUR 92.7

-18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.95 MUR 44.67

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.00 MUR 47.05

269.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.72 MUR 34.10

56.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.86 MUR 40.38

209.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$6.30 MUR 297

-17.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$7.61 MUR 358

161.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.68 MUR 79.1

72.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.38 MUR 112

52.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.13 MUR 53.1

-0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$53.9 MUR 2,537

34.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$4.10 MUR 193

-47.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.26 MUR 59.4

24.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$21.34 MUR 1,005

-60.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.35 MUR 63.8

12.59%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$36.1K MUR 1.7M

-40.12%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

9.71%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$43.83 MUR 2,063

119.69%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$10.67 MUR 502

236.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$29.33 MUR 1,381

82.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$37.40 MUR 1,761

91.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$6.39 MUR 301

23.47%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$102 MUR 4,807

383.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$7,493 MUR 352.8K

58.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$12.66 MUR 596

326.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$25.06 MUR 1,180

121.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$50.9 MUR 2,398

52.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$37.24 MUR 1,753

113.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$198 MUR 9,327

297.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$99.7 MUR 4,692

697.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$629 MUR 29.6K

526.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$369 MUR 17.4K

284.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$623 MUR 29.4K

38.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.67

29.24%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lalmatie: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Lalmatie

$100 14.1% 87.5% $695

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Lalmatie

$225 31.9% 36.1% $127

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Lalmatie

$121 17.2% 42.7% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Lalmatie

$84 11.9% 54.9% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Lalmatie

$57 8% 52.8% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Lalmatie

$50 7.1% 42.6% $37

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Lalmatie

$69 9.8% 21% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $198 in Lalmatie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 39% 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: $61.0 in Nosara vs $38.00 in Lalmatie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $225 per month, with Lalmatie cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇺 Lalmatie

🕒 Local time

11:40 11:40 AM

21:40 9:40 PM

10 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

10,641

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 MUR = 2.12 USD

100 MUR = 1.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 47.08 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.93 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Lalmatie 15,930 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Lalmatie

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 Lalmatie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lalmatie is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Nosara, 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: $788 in Nosara versus $198 in Lalmatie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lalmatie runs roughly 35% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $102 in Lalmatie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Lalmatie versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lalmatie but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Lalmatie the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lalmatie is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Lalmatie 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 Lalmatie gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.