Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Macclessfield

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,091 in Macclessfield, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Macclessfield outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Macclessfield
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,091
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Macclessfield

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,091 in Macclessfield.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Macclessfield $2,091

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $3,020 in Macclessfield.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Macclessfield $3,020

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $3,948 in Macclessfield.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Macclessfield $3,948

Living in Nosara costs roughly 12% less than in Macclessfield, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Macclessfield 55% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$20.55 £15.42
-39.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$86.0 £64.6
-28.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$10.69 £8.02
-29.65%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$4.72 £3.54
-6.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$2.58 £1.94
-32.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$1.93 £1.45
-32.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$6.67 £5.00
-50.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$6.42 £4.82
-30.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.52 £1.14
2.63%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.43 £1.07
111.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$2.35 £1.76
6.81%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$3.74 £2.81
-4.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$9.47 £7.11
-21.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$8.12 £6.09
29.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$15.68 £11.76
-10.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$3.48 £2.61
-32.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$2.68 £2.01
-39.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$3.07 £2.30
56.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$3.30 £2.48
-51.21%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.50 £1.12
153.33%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.54 £1.16
139.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$1.22 £0.92
-7.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$1.35 £1.01
97.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$23.72 £17.80
-78.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$10.44 £7.83
90.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$2.50 £1.88
16.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$3.67 £2.75
-1.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$2.42 £1.81
-53.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$4.59 £3.44
-53.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$2.18 £1.64
-27.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$29.68 £22.26
-71.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$2.02 £1.51
-24.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$37.8K £28.3K
-42.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$40.7K £30.5K
-15.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$267 £200
-63.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$19.93 £14.95
80.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$40.09 £30.08
33.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$46.57 £34.94
53.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$6.59 £4.94
429.74%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$13.42 £10.07
-41.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$1,281 £961
-61.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$20.2K £15.1K
-41.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$84.5 £63.4
-36.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$42.33 £31.76
30.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$84.7 £63.5
-7.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$98.7 £74.0
-19.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$934 £701
-15.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$907 £680
-12.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$1,263 £948
211.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$1,311 £983
8.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$1,301 £976
431.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$1,340 £1,005
-8.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Macclessfield
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$2,329 £1,747
-62.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
4.82
78.84%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Macclessfield: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Macclessfield
$907 14.2% $113
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Macclessfield
$302 14.4% $51
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Macclessfield
$317 49.8% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Macclessfield
$327 76.1% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Macclessfield
$140 16.2% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Macclessfield
$73 16% $14
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Macclessfield
$25 * 71.1% $62

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $934 in Macclessfield. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macclessfield pays 170% 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 $86.0 in Macclessfield. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $302, with Macclessfield cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇧 Macclessfield
🕒 Local time
20:47 8:47 PM
03:47 3:47 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
54,345
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Macclessfield 8,690 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Macclessfield

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 Macclessfield: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nosara or Macclessfield?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Macclessfield. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Nosara or in Macclessfield?
On paper, salaries run 170% lower in Macclessfield. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Nosara compared to Macclessfield?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $934 in Macclessfield. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Nosara and in Macclessfield?
Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $1,281 in Macclessfield. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Nosara and in Macclessfield?
Dining out is cheaper in Nosara – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $86.0 in Macclessfield. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Nosara or in Macclessfield?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $2,091 in Macclessfield, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Macclessfield. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nosara or Macclessfield?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Nosara compared to Macclessfield?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Macclessfield are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Macclessfield. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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