Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Margaret River

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $2,566 in Margaret River, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Margaret River
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Margaret River Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Margaret River

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,566

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Margaret River

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $2,566 in Margaret River, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Margaret River $2,566

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $3,723 in Margaret River, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Margaret River $3,723

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $4,880 in Margaret River, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Margaret River $4,880

Nosara is about 28% cheaper than Margaret River, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Margaret River sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Margaret River by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,556

$19.82 A$28.39

-37.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.5K

$82.0 A$117

-25.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,383

$10.56 A$15.13

-28.79%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,984

$4.42 A$6.33

-0.23%

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

$1.74 ₡782

$2.92 A$4.18

-40.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡589

$2.18 A$3.13

-39.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,475

$8.31 A$11.90

-60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,010

$8.52 A$12.21

-47.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡703

$1.72 A$2.46

-9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,359

$3.16 A$4.53

-4.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,129

$1.98 A$2.84

26.77%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,608

$5.26 A$7.54

-32.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,344

$9.03 A$12.94

-17.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,732

$9.00 A$12.90

16.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,284

$13.70 A$19.62

1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,055

$4.45 A$6.37

-47.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡722

$3.10 A$4.44

-48.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,159

$3.42 A$4.90

40.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡726

$5.03 A$7.20

-67.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,708

$2.88 A$4.13

31.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,662

$1.92 A$2.75

92.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡508

$2.32 A$3.32

-51.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,195

$1.36 A$1.96

95.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,328

$42.56 A$61.0

-87.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,944

$12.60 A$18.05

57.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,304

$4.22 A$6.05

-31.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,631

$3.43 A$4.91

5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡506

$2.95 A$4.23

-62.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.7K

$82.2 A$118

-11.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡961

$3.58 A$5.13

-40.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡706

$1.44 A$2.07

9.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,835

$40.63 A$58.2

-79.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡684

$1.35 A$1.93

12.59%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$27.7K A$39.7K

-21.95%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$29.1K A$41.6K

18.72%

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

$96.3 ₡43.3K

$197 A$282

-51.07%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$32.94 A$47.18

8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.1K

$64.3 A$92.0

-16.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.2K

$56.0 A$80.2

27.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$17.38 A$24.89

100.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,550

$17.17 A$24.60

-54.05%

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

$494 ₡222.3K

$2,306 A$3,304

-78.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$22.9K A$32.8K

-48.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.3K

$77.3 A$111

-30.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$65.4 A$93.6

-15.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡35.1K

$123 A$176

-36.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.8K

$164 A$234

-51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡354.5K

$1,387 A$1,986

-43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡357.3K

$1,199 A$1,718

-33.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$2,170 A$3,108

81.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡638.4K

$1,825 A$2,614

-22.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$5,036 A$7,214

37.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡550.7K

$4,814 A$6,896

-74.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡388.5K

$2,954 A$4,232

-70.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.91

45.85%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Margaret River: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Margaret River

$1.2K 46.8% 51% $405

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Margaret River

$362 14.1% 2.7% $9.6

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Margaret River

$322 12.6% 52.1% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Margaret River

$294 11.5% 58.3% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Margaret River

$193 7.5% 60.9% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Margaret River

$90 3.5% 3.4% $3

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Margaret River

$105 4.1% 20.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $1,387 in Margaret River. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 242% higher in Margaret River, 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 $82.0 in Margaret River. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $362 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇦🇺 Margaret River

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

06:03 6:03 AM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

8,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 AUD = 0.698 USD

1 AUD = 0.624 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.624 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Margaret River 16,610 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Margaret River

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 Margaret River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Margaret River is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $3,849 in Margaret River. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $82.0 in Margaret River. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $2,566 in Margaret River. That's a gap of about 40%.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in Margaret River at $2,566. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Margaret River it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nosara – 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Margaret River makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.