Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 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

$1,839

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Maharagama

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $133 in Maharagama, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Maharagama $133

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $250 in Maharagama, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Maharagama $250

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $367 in Maharagama, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Maharagama $367

Nosara costs about 1280% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Maharagama is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$5.39 LKR 1,785

129.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$20.20 LKR 6,690

202.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.82 LKR 2,260

10.26%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.12 LKR 701

108.02%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.59 LKR 196

194.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.29 LKR 94.8

351.72%

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

$0.93 LKR 307

67.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.25 LKR 83.2

1108.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$0.49 LKR 162

412.24%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.49 LKR 494

139.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$0.44 LKR 146

386.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.47 LKR 155

234.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$4.63 LKR 1,534

675.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$13.62 LKR 4,510

293.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$197 LKR 65.3K

1896.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

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

$244 LKR 80.7K

254.52%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 255% 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 $20.00 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $20.00 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

03:55 3:55 AM

15:25 3:25 PM

11 h 30 min ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

196,400

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, 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).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Maharagama 17,560 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Maharagama

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 1280%, 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 $200 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1688% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $20.00 in Maharagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maharagama – 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 Maharagama. 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.