Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Mashhad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $745 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
37

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
Learn more

Mashhad Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇶 Iraq

$745

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Mashhad

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $745 in Mashhad.

Nosara $1,839
Mashhad $745

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $1,114 in Mashhad.

Nosara $2,828
Mashhad $1,114

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,483 in Mashhad.

Nosara $3,818
Mashhad $1,483

Living in Nosara is roughly 147% more expensive than in Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Mashhad is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$4.17 IQD 6,301

196.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$29.37 IQD 44.4K

108.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.73 IQD 10.2K

11.74%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.67 IQD 4,034

65.17%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.33 IQD 492

427.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.22 IQD 333

495.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.26 IQD 4,921

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$3.37 IQD 5,091

32.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.89 IQD 1,346

75.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.68 IQD 1,035

344.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.33 IQD 2,005

88.72%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$0.82 IQD 1,242

335.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$3.36 IQD 5,071

121.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$1.97 IQD 2,981

434.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$3.09 IQD 4,668

352.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.01 IQD 1,521

132.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$0.92 IQD 1,385

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$0.91 IQD 1,373

427.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$0.68 IQD 1,026

136.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.56 IQD 845

578.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.60 IQD 900

515.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.29 IQD 432

289.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.21 IQD 322

1166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$0.83 IQD 1,254

524.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$11.88 IQD 17.9K

67.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.98 IQD 2,989

46.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.96 IQD 2,965

85.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.46 IQD 690

143.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$21.64 IQD 32.7K

235.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.01 IQD 3,031

6.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.30 IQD 1,965

20.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$6.39 IQD 9,659

33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.53 IQD 805

186.79%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

28.67%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$16.7K IQD 25.3M

106.44%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$192 IQD 289.6K

-49.77%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$17.37 IQD 26.2K

106.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$36.33 IQD 54.9K

47.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$34.10 IQD 51.5K

109.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$10.02 IQD 15.1K

-21.26%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$147 IQD 221.6K

236.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$2,968 IQD 4.5M

299.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$25.05 IQD 37.9K

115.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$28.34 IQD 42.8K

95.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$60.1 IQD 90.8K

29.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$41.28 IQD 62.4K

92.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$150 IQD 226.4K

426.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$118 IQD 178.6K

571.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$402 IQD 606.7K

880.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$286 IQD 432.6K

395.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$717 IQD 1.1M

863.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$639 IQD 965.4K

91.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.12

109.22%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Mashhad

$118 15.9% 85.1% $676

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Mashhad

$115 15.5% 67.3% $237

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Mashhad

$111 14.9% 47.7% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Mashhad

$245 32.9% 32.1% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Mashhad

$70 9.3% 42% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mashhad

$54 7.3% 38% $33

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Mashhad

$32 4.3% 63.3% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $150 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $29.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $115 per month, with Mashhad cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇮🇶 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

10:37 10:37 AM

19:37 7:37 PM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

13,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, 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).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Mashhad 12,600 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Mashhad

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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Mashhad differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $745 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $1,118 in Mashhad 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 $150 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $147 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 206% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $745 in Mashhad versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.