Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Merignac

For one person, living costs are similar in Nosara and in Merignac: $1,846 and $1,887 a month, rent and utilities included.

Nosara, Costa Rica
Merignac, France
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,846
/mo nomad
Merignac
🇫🇷 France
$1,887
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Merignac

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

A single person spends $1,846 per month in Nosara vs $1,887 in Merignac, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,846
  • Merignac $1,887

A couple spends around $2,833 per month in Nosara vs $2,897 in Merignac, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,833
  • Merignac $2,897

A family of three spends $3,820 per month in Nosara vs $3,907 in Merignac, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,820
  • Merignac $3,907

Nosara is about 2% cheaper than Merignac, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Nosara and Merignac sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Merignac by 39%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.36 ₡5,575
$16.82 €15.11
-26.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8 ₡27.4K
$77.8 €69.8
-21.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.88 ₡3,557
$13.43 €12.07
-41.33%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₡1,986
$3.96 €3.55
11.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡776
$2.93 €2.63
-41.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 ₡603
$1.38 €1.24
-2.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.34 ₡1,505
$7.44 €6.68
-55.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 ₡2,048
$6.63 €5.96
-31.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ₡739
$1.17 €1.06
40.17%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 ₡1,426
$1.98 €1.78
59.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 ₡1,080
$2.52 €2.26
-5.16%
Eggs
$3.47 ₡1,564
$3.49 €3.14
-0.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.13 ₡3,217
$13.55 €12.17
-47.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.32 ₡4,655
$14.70 €13.20
-29.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,302
$20.03 €17.99
-30.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,031
$3.43 €3.08
-33.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ₡731
$2.25 €2.02
-28.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.81 ₡2,169
$3.29 €2.96
46.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.68 ₡758
$3.47 €3.12
-51.59%
Potato (1kg)
$3.91 ₡1,765
$2.27 €2.04
72.25%
Onion (1kg)
$3.63 ₡1,640
$2.88 €2.59
26.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡509
$1.37 €1.23
-17.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 ₡1,188
$0.51 €0.46
415.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.02 ₡2,267
$13.21 €11.86
-62.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.71 ₡8,893
$8.92 €8.01
120.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 ₡1,314
$3.46 €3.11
-15.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 ₡1,597
$3.40 €3.06
4.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 ₡545
$1.95 €1.75
-37.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.8 ₡33.3K
$55.2 €49.56
33.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.15 ₡969
$2.29 €2.05
-6.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ₡738
$1.81 €1.63
-9.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.77 ₡3,958
$37.65 €33.82
-76.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡700
$2.18 €1.96
-28.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K ₡15.3M
$35.0K €31.4K
-3.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K ₡17.4M
$36.2K €32.5K
6.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡43.0K
$222 €200
-57.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.29 ₡16.4K
$14.09 €12.65
157.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.0 ₡23.5K
$30.79 €27.66
68.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.6 ₡30.5K
$31.86 €28.62
112.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.55 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.54 ₡3,404
$12.97 €11.65
-41.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$496 ₡224.0K
$797 €716
-37.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K ₡5.3M
$10.3K €9,244
14.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 ₡24.9K
$112 €101
-50.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 ₡25.3K
$45.56 €40.93
23.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.8 ₡35.1K
$107 €96.1
-27.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.1 ₡35.7K
$146 €131
-45.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$817 ₡368.9K
$862 €774
-5.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$806 ₡363.6K
$656 €589
22.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,988 ₡1.8M
$1,599 €1,436
149.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₡644.9K
$1,144 €1,028
24.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,068 ₡3.2M
$3,985 €3,580
77.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,197 ₡540.1K
$3,034 €2,726
-60.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Merignac
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$888 ₡400.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
3.79
127.44%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 24, 2026

Last update for Merignac: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$806
Merignac
$656 18.6% $150
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$351
Merignac
$357 1.7% $5.9
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Merignac
$290 36% $77
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Merignac
$267 45.6% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Merignac
$185 53.3% $64
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Merignac
$74 16.4% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$83
Merignac
$58 30.1% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Nosara versus $862 in Merignac. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Nosara versus $78 in Merignac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $357 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇫🇷 Merignac
🕒 Local time
10:36 10:36 AM
17:36 5:36 PM
7 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
75,729
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Merignac 8,840 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Merignac

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 Merignac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Merignac compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,846 in Nosara, $1,887 in Merignac – roughly 2% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Merignac?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,769 per month in Nosara and $2,831 in Merignac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Merignac?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $817 in Nosara and $862 in Merignac. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city is more expensive overall: Nosara or Merignac?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,846 in Nosara and $1,887 in Merignac. That’s a gap of about 2%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Merignac?
Kindergarten costs $496 per month in Nosara and $797 in Merignac. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $3,000 go in Nosara compared to Merignac?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,846 in Nosara and $1,887 in Merignac, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Nosara or Merignac?
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.
Is Nosara or Merignac safer for residents?
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.

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