Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Mahboula

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahboula: $1,235 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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
59

Cost of Living Index in Mahboula
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Mahboula Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Mahboula

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,235

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Mahboula

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,235 in Mahboula.

Nosara $1,839
Mahboula $1,235

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $2,007 in Mahboula.

Nosara $2,828
Mahboula $2,007

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $2,780 in Mahboula.

Nosara $3,818
Mahboula $2,780

Living in Nosara is roughly 49% more expensive than in Mahboula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Mahboula is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$6.31 KWD 1.94

95.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$25.81 KWD 7.95

137.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$9.08 KWD 2.80

-17.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$5.32 KWD 1.64

-17.11%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.47 KWD 0.14

270.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.17 KWD 0.05

670.59%

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

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.00 KWD 0.31

202.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.90 KWD 0.59

32.11%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.29 KWD 0.40

176.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$4.38 KWD 1.35

69.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$6.58 KWD 2.03

59.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$10.36 KWD 3.19

34.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.43 KWD 0.75

-3.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.80 KWD 0.55

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.13 KWD 0.35

42.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.36 KWD 0.42

179.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.09 KWD 0.34

238.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.34 KWD 0.72

-51.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.49 KWD 0.15

442.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KWD 0.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$1.59 KWD 0.49

225.79%

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

$0.77 KWD 0.24

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$48.84 KWD 15.05

48.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.57 KWD 0.48

36.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-1.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$5.56 KWD 1.71

53.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.17 KWD 0.05

794.12%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$19.3K KWD 5,936

12.16%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$18.0K KWD 5,544

91.81%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$65.2 KWD 20.10

47.64%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$15.94 KWD 4.91

125.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$30.15 KWD 9.29

77.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$96.5 KWD 29.73

-25.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$47.47 KWD 14.63

-26.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$11.44 KWD 3.53

-31.03%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$296 KWD 91.1

67.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$6,633 KWD 2,044

78.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$37.47 KWD 11.54

43.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$39.64 KWD 12.21

39.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$96.9 KWD 29.84

-19.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$87.3 KWD 26.90

-8.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$710 KWD 219

11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$507 KWD 156

56.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,761 KWD 543

123.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,141 KWD 351

24.42%

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

$1,277 KWD 393

-32.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.53

32.01%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Mahboula

$507 41.1% 36.1% $287

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Mahboula

$174 14.1% 50.7% $179

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Mahboula

$144 11.7% 32% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Mahboula

$111 9% 40.1% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Mahboula

$118 9.5% 2.1% $2.5

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mahboula

$119 9.7% 36.6% $32

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Mahboula

$61 5% 29.4% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $710 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $174 per month, with Mahboula cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇼 Mahboula

🕒 Local time

17:23 5:23 PM

02:23 2:23 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

18,178

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 KWD = 3.25 USD

1 KWD = 2.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KWD, 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).

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.25 USD). 1 EUR = 0.346 KWD (1 KWD = 2.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Mahboula 13,420 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Mahboula

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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahboula is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Mahboula. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $710 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $1,235 in Mahboula – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,235 in Mahboula versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mahboula is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Mahboula are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.