Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Mardan

For one person, living is cheaper in Mardan: $492 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Mardan
Learn more

Mardan Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Mardan

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$492

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Mardan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $492 in Mardan.

Nosara $1,839
Mardan $492

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $768 in Mardan.

Nosara $2,828
Mardan $768

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,045 in Mardan.

Nosara $3,818
Mardan $1,045

Living in Nosara is roughly 274% more expensive than in Mardan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Mardan is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$3.54 PKR 980

248.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$23.75 PKR 6,572

157.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.44 PKR 1,506

38.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 PKR 1,023

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 PKR 1,885

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.72 PKR 753

62.13%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.32 PKR 89.6

443.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.23 PKR 63.8

469.57%

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

$0.91 PKR 252

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.72 PKR 199

319.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.28 PKR 354

96.09%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.16 PKR 320

207.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$2.82 PKR 781

163.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$3.14 PKR 870

235.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$3.89 PKR 1,076

259.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$0.93 PKR 258

152.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$0.71 PKR 196

126.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.07 PKR 296

348.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$0.38 PKR 104

323.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.27 PKR 73.8

1307.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.36 PKR 99.1

925.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.28 PKR 77.1

303.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.37 PKR 103

618.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.79 PKR 495

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 651

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$1.83 PKR 507

183.06%

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

$0.16 PKR 43.24

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$10.19 PKR 2,821

612.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.25 PKR 346

71.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.69 PKR 192

127.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$1.58 PKR 436

439.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.06 PKR 292

43.40%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$21.8K PKR 6.0M

-0.71%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$24.6K PKR 6.8M

40.25%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$101 PKR 27.9K

-4.33%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$5.88 PKR 1,628

510.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$16.89 PKR 4,674

217.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$16.54 PKR 4,578

332.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$7.15 PKR 1,978

388.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$4.42 PKR 1,224

78.51%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

552.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$1,028 PKR 284.5K

1053.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$25.76 PKR 7,131

109.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$34.46 PKR 9,537

60.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$94.6 PKR 26.2K

-17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$40.80 PKR 11.3K

95.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$127 PKR 35.0K

522.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$75.6 PKR 20.9K

950.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$253 PKR 69.9K

1459.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$149 PKR 41.3K

850.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$830 PKR 229.7K

732.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$443 PKR 122.7K

176.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

13.08

-34.10%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mardan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Mardan

$76 15.4% 90.5% $719

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Mardan

$84 17.1% 76.1% $268

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Mardan

$80 16.2% 62.5% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Mardan

$123 25.1% 33.6% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Mardan

$88 17.9% 26.7% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mardan

$25 5.2% 70.9% $62

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Mardan

$16 3.2% 82.2% $72

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $127 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $24.00 in Mardan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $84.0 per month, with Mardan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇵🇰 Mardan

🕒 Local time

20:47 8:47 PM

07:47 7:47 AM

11 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

358,604

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Mardan 14,570 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Mardan

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 Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 274% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $737 in Mardan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $127 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $75.8 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 319% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $492 in Mardan versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mardan 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 Mardan 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 Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 274% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.