Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Manakara

For one person, living is cheaper in Manakara: $397 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Manakara
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Manakara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Manakara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$397

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Manakara

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $397 in Manakara, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Manakara $397

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $609 in Manakara, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Manakara $609

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $821 in Manakara, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Manakara $821

Nosara costs about 363% more than Manakara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Manakara is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$2.23 MGA 10.2K

453.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$14.63 MGA 66.8K

318.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$3.44 MGA 15.7K

118.60%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$1.15 MGA 5,250

283.48%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.62 MGA 2,806

180.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.57 MGA 2,584

129.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.14 MGA 5,215

187.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$1.43 MGA 6,505

212.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.80 MGA 8,189

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.01 MGA 4,627

199.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$0.69 MGA 3,140

263.77%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.34 MGA 10.7K

52.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$6.40 MGA 29.2K

16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$3.31 MGA 15.1K

217.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$3.51 MGA 16.0K

298.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$0.95 MGA 4,313

147.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$0.72 MGA 3,268

123.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$0.35 MGA 1,586

1271.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$0.72 MGA 3,294

123.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.54 MGA 2,456

603.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.75 MGA 3,433

392.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.34 MGA 1,566

232.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.63 MGA 2,887

322.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$1.43 MGA 6,513

262.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$4.52 MGA 20.6K

339.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.02 MGA 4,660

184.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.30 MGA 5,918

179.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.23 MGA 1,051

386.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$34.89 MGA 159.1K

108.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.10 MGA 4,995

94.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$2.20 MGA 10.0K

-28.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$3.34 MGA 15.2K

155.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.14 MGA 5,215

33.33%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$15.7K MGA 71.5M

37.85%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$20.1K MGA 91.6M

71.99%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$42.27 MGA 192.8K

127.80%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$53.3 MGA 243.0K

0.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$11.44 MGA 52.2K

525.79%

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

$22.50 MGA 102.6K

2096.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$16.28 MGA 74.2K

231.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$20.38 MGA 93.0K

171.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$44.83 MGA 204.5K

73.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$45.59 MGA 208.0K

74.62%

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

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

$115 MGA 524.9K

650.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-64.08%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Manakara: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Manakara

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Manakara

$129 32.6% 63.3% $223

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Manakara

$55 13.9% 73.9% $157

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Manakara

$96 * 24.1% 48.6% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Manakara

$57 14.4% 52.4% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Manakara

$11 * 2.9% 86.9% $76

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Manakara

$48 12.1% 45% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 650% 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 $15.00 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $129 – making Manakara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇬 Manakara

🕒 Local time

23:28 11:28 PM

08:28 8:28 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

44,237

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.95 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Manakara 14,900 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Manakara

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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 363%, 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 $595 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $22.50 in Manakara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 172% 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 Manakara, where all-in costs run around $397, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Manakara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manakara – 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 Manakara. 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.