Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Mahajanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahajanga: $557 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Mahajanga

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$557

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Mahajanga

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $557 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Mahajanga $557

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $813 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Mahajanga $813

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,069 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Mahajanga $1,069

Nosara costs about 230% more than Mahajanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Mahajanga is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$2.02 MGA 9,027

504.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$18.34 MGA 82.0K

228.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$0.69 MGA 3,104

524.64%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.93 MGA 4,169

84.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.90 MGA 4,013

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$1.05 MGA 4,710

208.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$1.61 MGA 7,211

178.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.35 MGA 6,053

16.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.87 MGA 3,900

264.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$0.64 MGA 2,880

278.12%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$2.23 MGA 9,963

60.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$6.91 MGA 30.9K

7.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$6.85 MGA 30.6K

52.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$3.75 MGA 16.8K

264.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$1.12 MGA 4,990

107.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$0.62 MGA 2,765

159.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$0.70 MGA 3,109

577.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$0.70 MGA 3,146

137.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$0.53 MGA 2,382

601.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.52 MGA 2,333

586.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.35 MGA 1,574

214.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.59 MGA 2,657

332.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$9.30 MGA 41.6K

115.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$0.79 MGA 3,518

253.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$0.95 MGA 4,245

271.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.23 MGA 1,020

417.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.34 MGA 5,996

17.16%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$44.71 MGA 199.8K

109.01%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$6.69 MGA 29.9K

424.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$22.67 MGA 101.3K

127.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$18.07 MGA 80.8K

295.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$337 MGA 1.5M

133.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$275 MGA 1.2M

183.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$693 MGA 3.1M

456.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$448 MGA 2.0M

213.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Mahajanga

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Mahajanga

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Mahajanga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Mahajanga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Mahajanga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mahajanga

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mahajanga

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $337 in Mahajanga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $151 – making Mahajanga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇬 Mahajanga

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

12:42 12:42 PM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

246,022

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD

10,000 MGA = 2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, 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 = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,470 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.24 USD). 1 EUR = 5,009 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Mahajanga 14,780 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Mahajanga

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 Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 230% more than Mahajanga, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $835 in Mahajanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $557 in Mahajanga. That's a gap of about 230%.

Groceries cost about 131% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mahajanga, where all-in costs run around $557, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Mahajanga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mahajanga costs $557 versus $1,837 in Nosara. 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 Mahajanga. 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.