Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Mayari

For one person, living is cheaper in Mayari: $1,484 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 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
73

Cost of Living Index in Mayari
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Mayari Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Mayari

🇨🇺 Cuba

$1,484

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Mayari

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $1,484 in Mayari.

Nosara $1,837
Mayari $1,484

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $2,453 in Mayari.

Nosara $2,775
Mayari $2,453

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $3,423 in Mayari.

Nosara $3,712
Mayari $3,423

Living in Nosara is roughly 24% more expensive than in Mayari, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 37% above, Mayari 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$5.87 CUP 141

108.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$19.85 CUP 476

203.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$6.42 CUP 154

17.45%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$1.32 CUP 31.74

226.52%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$2.14 CUP 51.5

-19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$1.23 CUP 29.49

9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$2.52 CUP 60.5

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$2.95 CUP 70.8

51.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$3.01 CUP 72.2

-47.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.77 CUP 18.40

311.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$2.43 CUP 58.3

-0.41%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$3.07 CUP 73.7

16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$5.81 CUP 139

27.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$5.23 CUP 125

99.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$11.96 CUP 287

14.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$5.05 CUP 121

-54.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.18 CUP 28.41

36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$1.42 CUP 34.11

233.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$1.42 CUP 33.97

16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$1.93 CUP 46.37

92.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.88 CUP 69.1

23.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$1.02 CUP 24.39

7.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.12 CUP 26.88

127.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$3.55 CUP 85.1

39.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$9.86 CUP 237

102.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.71 CUP 40.96

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.99 CUP 47.78

77.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.19 CUP 4.46

526.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$20.16 CUP 484

257.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$2.29 CUP 55.1

-2.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$0.41 CUP 9.92

278.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$19.78 CUP 475

-55.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.24 CUP 29.74

26.61%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

-68.84%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$80.4K CUP 1.9M

-56.94%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$35.53 CUP 853

163.02%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$40.35 CUP 968

-12.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$252 CUP 6,052

-79.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$39.42 CUP 946

81.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$14.92 CUP 358

137.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$0.98 CUP 23.61

700.00%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$119 CUP 2,859

310.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$17.2K CUP 412.2K

-30.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$54.3 CUP 1,303

-1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$40.33 CUP 968

38.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$45.69 CUP 1,096

73.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$49.17 CUP 1,180

60.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$211 CUP 5,069

272.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$679 CUP 16.3K

14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$376 CUP 9,016

927.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$1,737 CUP 41.7K

-18.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$390 CUP 9,357

1688.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$354 CUP 8,506

238.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$21.80 CUP 523

3919.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-13.80%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Mayari: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Mayari

$679 44.7% 13% $101

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Mayari

$246 16.2% 29.7% $104

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Mayari

$114 7.5% 45.5% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Mayari

$328 21.6% 82.2% $148

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Mayari

$85 5.6% 29.2% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mayari

$41 2.7% 52.5% $46

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Mayari

$25 1.7% 70.9% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Nosara and $211 in Mayari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 3920% 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: $60.0 in Nosara vs $20.00 in Mayari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $246 per month, with Mayari cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇺 Mayari

🕒 Local time

05:13 5:13 AM

07:13 7:13 AM

2 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

29,259

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Cuban Peso CUP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 CUP = 4.17 USD

100 CUP = 3.72 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CUP, 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).

Cuban Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 24 CUP (100 CUP = 4.17 USD). 1 EUR = 26.89 CUP (100 CUP = 3.72 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Mayari 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Mayari

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 Mayari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mayari wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mayari the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3920% higher in Nosara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $786 in Nosara versus $211 in Mayari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mayari – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,837 per month in Nosara versus $1,484 in Mayari – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mayari versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mayari but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Mayari the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mayari delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,484 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mayari hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Mayari 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 Mayari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.