Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Mahabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $522 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$522

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Mahabad

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $522 in Mahabad, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Mahabad $522

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $849 in Mahabad, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Mahabad $849

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,177 in Mahabad, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Mahabad $1,177

Nosara costs about 252% more than Mahabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Mahabad is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$2.97 $2.97

315.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$17.06 $17.06

258.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$4.06 $4.06

85.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 $0.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$1.13 $1.13

290.27%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.52 $0.52

234.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.94 $0.94

39.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.65 $0.65

140.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.51 $0.51

492.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.07 $2.07

21.26%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.18 $1.18

202.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$4.30 $4.30

72.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$3.21 $3.21

227.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$7.58 $7.58

84.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.00 $1.00

135.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.55 $1.55

3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$0.86 $0.86

458.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$0.61 $0.61

163.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.54 $0.54

603.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.47 $0.47

685.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.53 $0.53

113.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.26 $0.26

923.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 $0.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$2.14 $2.14

142.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.15 $0.15

646.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$8.76 $8.76

729.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$0.44 $0.44

386.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.29 $0.29

441.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$2.87 $2.87

196.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.10 $0.10

1420.00%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$47.7K $47.7K

-54.73%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$47.6K $47.6K

-27.55%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$12.32 $12.32

681.57%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$1.58 $1.58

2171.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$3.76 $3.76

1325.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$18.63 $18.63

284.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$11.75 $11.75

197.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$1.97 $1.97

300.51%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$106 $106

364.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$2,234 $2,234

430.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$23.20 $23.20

132.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$28.48 $28.48

94.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$96.3 $96.3

-19.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$71.4 $71.4

11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$264 $264

198.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$211 $211

276.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$728 $728

441.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$408 $408

247.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,131 $1,131

511.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$530 $530

130.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$253 $253

241.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

24.3

-64.53%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mahabad: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Mahabad

$211 40.5% 73.4% $583

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Mahabad

$105 20.1% 70.2% $247

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Mahabad

$55 10.6% 73.9% $157

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Mahabad

$18 3.4% 90.5% $168

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Mahabad

$99 18.9% 17.8% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mahabad

$23 4.3% 74.2% $65

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Mahabad

$11 2.2% 87.1% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $264 in Mahabad. 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 242% higher in Nosara, 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 $17.00 in Mahabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $105 – making Mahabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🕒 Local time

14:12 2:12 PM

23:42 11:42 PM

9 h 30 min ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

208,541

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

USD 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).

USD 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

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Between locations

Nosara Mahabad 12,750 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Mahabad

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 Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 252%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $783 in Mahabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $106 in Mahabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 236% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahabad, where all-in costs run around $522, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Mahabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahabad – 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 Mahabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nosara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.