Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Mackay

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,222 in Mackay, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Mackay
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Mackay Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Mackay

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,222

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Mackay

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $2,222 in Mackay, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Mackay $2,222

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $3,485 in Mackay, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Mackay $3,485

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $4,748 in Mackay, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Mackay $4,748

Nosara is about 17% cheaper than Mackay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Mackay sit above the global median – Nosara by 37%, Mackay by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$17.39 A$24.98

-29.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$75.5 A$108

-20.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$12.53 A$17.99

-39.82%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$4.14 A$5.94

4.11%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$3.38 A$4.86

-49.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$2.71 A$3.89

-50.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$6.85 A$9.84

-52.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$7.06 A$10.14

-36.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.93 A$2.78

-18.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$2.60 A$3.74

21.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$2.86 A$4.11

-15.38%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$5.65 A$8.12

-36.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$9.63 A$13.84

-22.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$8.43 A$12.11

23.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$16.28 A$23.38

-16.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$3.62 A$5.20

-35.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$2.99 A$4.30

-46.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.99 A$4.29

58.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$6.62 A$9.51

-74.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$2.50 A$3.59

48.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.57 A$3.69

38.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$3.08 A$4.42

-64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$3.09 A$4.44

-17.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$42.90 A$61.6

-88.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$8.52 A$12.24

134.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$4.99 A$7.17

-44.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$6.26 A$8.99

-43.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$2.49 A$3.58

-52.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$70.7 A$102

1.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$5.81 A$8.35

-61.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$2.11 A$3.03

-26.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$34.59 A$49.68

-74.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.21 A$1.74

29.75%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$27.2K A$39.1K

-19.84%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$35.4K A$50.9K

-2.21%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$230 A$330

-59.29%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$29.33 A$42.13

19.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$79.5 A$114

-35.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$51.8 A$74.4

37.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$20.63 A$29.63

71.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$16.88 A$24.24

-53.55%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$1,856 A$2,666

-73.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$6,749 A$9,694

76.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$70.6 A$101

-24.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$51.0 A$73.3

9.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$127 A$182

-37.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$105 A$150

-24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$947 A$1,360

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$802 A$1,152

-2.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$1,868 A$2,684

106.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$1,784 A$2,563

-21.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$3,116 A$4,475

123.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$1,738 A$2,496

-30.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$5,620 A$8,073

-84.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.63

53.11%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Mackay: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Mackay

$802 36.9% 2.9% $22

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Mackay

$397 18.2% 13.6% $47

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Mackay

$299 13.7% 42.8% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Mackay

$338 15.5% 87.9% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Mackay

$159 7.3% 32% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mackay

$86 3.9% 1.8% $1.6

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mackay

$97 4.5% 11.7% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $947 in Mackay. 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 541% higher in Mackay, 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $75.0 in Mackay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $397 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇦🇺 Mackay

🕒 Local time

21:49 9:49 PM

13:49 1:49 PM

16 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

80,455

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 AUD = 0.696 USD

1 AUD = 0.621 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.696 USD). 1 EUR = 1.61 AUD (1 AUD = 0.621 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Mackay 14,040 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Mackay

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 Mackay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mackay is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $3,333 in Mackay. 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 14% more in Mackay, 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 $60.0 in Nosara and $75.0 in Mackay. 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 $1,837, than in Mackay at $2,222. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mackay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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