Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $229 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$229

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Matale

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $229 in Matale, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Matale $229

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $376 in Matale, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Matale $376

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $523 in Matale, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Matale $523

Nosara costs about 701% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Matale is 83% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$1.86 LKR 616

556.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$9.18 LKR 3,038

555.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$4.49 LKR 1,485

67.93%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.45 LKR 150

282.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.22 LKR 72.4

513.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$2.41 LKR 797

34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$1.78 LKR 588

151.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.48 LKR 490

6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.43 LKR 142

637.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$0.66 LKR 219

266.67%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.64 LKR 543

117.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$9.84 LKR 3,256

-24.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$3.64 LKR 1,205

186.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$7.40 LKR 2,451

84.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$0.54 LKR 180

198.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$0.88 LKR 290

88.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$0.56 LKR 186

564.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.53 LKR 175

573.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.62 LKR 537

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$0.25 LKR 82.8

520.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.12 LKR 372

40.18%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$3.87 LKR 1,281

807.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$24.58 LKR 8,137

117.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$10.79 LKR 3,571

630.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$43.53 LKR 14.4K

1691.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$62.6 LKR 20.7K

2146.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$160 LKR 52.8K

449.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Matale: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Matale

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Matale

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 449% 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $9.00 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $117 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

04:24 4:24 AM

15:54 3:54 PM

11 h 30 min ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

40,800

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 371 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Matale 17,550 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Matale

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 Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 701% more than Matale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $344 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,837 in Nosara and $229 in Matale. That's a gap of about 701%.

Groceries cost about 199% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matale, where all-in costs run around $229, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Matale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matale costs $229 versus $1,837 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Matale. 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.