Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Margate

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,835 a month against $2,440 in Margate, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Margate
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,440
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Margate

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,440 in Margate.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Margate $2,440

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $3,482 in Margate.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Margate $3,482

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $4,523 in Margate.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Margate $4,523

Living in Nosara costs roughly 25% less than in Margate, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 35% above, Margate 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Margate
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$18.23 £13.68
-32.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$60.8 £45.64
0.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$10.75 £8.07
-27.81%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$4.59 £3.45
-3.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$2.04 £1.53
-12.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$1.35 £1.01
-4.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$7.65 £5.74
-57.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$6.48 £4.86
-31.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Margate
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$1.65 £1.24
-6.06%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$1.79 £1.35
72.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$2.52 £1.89
0.40%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$4.40 £3.30
-21.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$9.72 £7.29
-24.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$9.76 £7.32
4.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$15.48 £11.61
-8.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$2.92 £2.19
-21.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.67 £1.25
-1.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$3.69 £2.77
29.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$3.57 £2.68
-54.06%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$1.76 £1.32
118.75%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$1.89 £1.42
98.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$1.24 £0.93
-12.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$2.03 £1.53
27.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$22.51 £16.89
-77.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$11.13 £8.35
78.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$2.68 £2.01
4.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$3.97 £2.98
-11.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Margate
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$3.43 £2.57
-64.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
$105 £79.1
-29.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$7.91 £5.93
-72.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$2.58 £1.94
-39.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$50.4 £37.78
-82.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$2.10 £1.58
-26.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$37.9K £28.5K
-8.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$40.4K £30.3K
-4.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Margate
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$334 £250
-71.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$18.24 £13.68
98.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$42.96 £32.23
23.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Margate
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$46.52 £34.90
58.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$17.56 £13.17
-54.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Margate
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$2,540 £1,906
-80.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$36.2K £27.2K
-67.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Margate
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$90.9 £68.2
-39.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$48.39 £36.30
15.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$91.8 £68.9
-12.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$130 £97.5
-40.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Margate
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$1,214 £911
-34.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$1,037 £778
-23.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$1,880 £1,410
113.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$1,646 £1,235
-14.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$5,081 £3,812
39.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$4,397 £3,299
-71.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Margate
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
$2,618 £1,964
-66.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.04
71.03%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Margate: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Margate
$1K 31.4% $248
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Margate
$326 6.8% $24
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Margate
$298 40.1% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Margate
$395 115% $211
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Margate
$162 34.2% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Margate
$82 8.9% $8
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Margate
$140 57.7% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Nosara and $1,214 in Margate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Margate pays 195% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $61.0 in Margate. Groceries flip the comparison at $350 vs $326, with Margate cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇬🇧 Margate
🕒 Local time
04:46 4:46 AM
11:46 11:46 AM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
58,465
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Margate 8,940 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Margate

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 Margate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nosara or Margate?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Margate. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Nosara or in Margate?
On paper, salaries run 195% lower in Margate. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Nosara compared to Margate?
Rent for a central apartment: $801 in Nosara versus $1,214 in Margate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Nosara compared to Margate?
All in, you'll spend $1,835 per month in Nosara versus $2,440 in Margate – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Nosara compared to Margate?
A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 43% less than in Margate. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Nosara or in Margate?
At $1,835 in Nosara versus $2,440 in Margate, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Margate. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nosara or Margate?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Nosara compared to Margate?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Margate are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Margate. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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