Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Moratuwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $1,846 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$1,846

/mo nomad

Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Moratuwa

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

A single person spends $1,846 per month in Nosara vs $131 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Nosara $1,846
Moratuwa $131

A couple spends around $2,833 per month in Nosara vs $211 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Nosara $2,833
Moratuwa $211

A family of three spends $3,820 per month in Nosara vs $291 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Nosara $3,820
Moratuwa $291

Nosara costs about 1306% more than Moratuwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Moratuwa is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.36 ₡5,575

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 ₡3,557

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₡1,986

$1.84 LKR 611

139.13%

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

$1.72 ₡776

$0.71 LKR 234

142.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₡603

$0.15 LKR 49.28

793.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 ₡1,505

$1.85 LKR 616

80.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 ₡2,048

$2.46 LKR 816

84.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₡739

$1.25 LKR 417

31.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₡1,426

$0.46 LKR 154

586.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 ₡1,080

$0.82 LKR 272

191.46%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,564

$2.36 LKR 785

47.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 ₡3,217

$12.27 LKR 4,078

-41.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,655

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,302

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,031

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₡731

$0.46 LKR 154

252.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 ₡2,169

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₡758

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,765

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 ₡1,640

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡509

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₡1,188

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 ₡2,267

Wine (Bottle)

$19.71 ₡8,893

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,314

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₡1,597

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₡545

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 ₡33.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₡969

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡738

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ₡3,958

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡700

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

$33.9K ₡15.3M

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

$38.5K ₡17.4M

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

$95.2 ₡43.0K

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

$36.29 ₡16.4K

$4.44 LKR 1,475

717.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 ₡23.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 ₡30.5K

$15.01 LKR 4,989

350.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.55 ₡16.0K

$3.08 LKR 1,024

1054.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ₡3,404

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

$496 ₡224.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ₡24.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 ₡25.3K

$6.05 LKR 2,013

827.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₡35.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 ₡35.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₡368.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 ₡363.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,988 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₡644.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,068 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,197 ₡540.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 ₡400.7K

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 24, 2026

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$806 43.7%

Moratuwa

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$351 19%

Moratuwa

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Moratuwa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 9.9%

Moratuwa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.5%

Moratuwa

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Moratuwa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$83 4.5%

Moratuwa

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🕒 Local time

16:52 4:52 PM

04:22 4:22 AM

11 h 30 min ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

207,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

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Between locations

Nosara Moratuwa 17,560 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Moratuwa

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 Moratuwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 1306%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,769 per month in Nosara and $197 in Moratuwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,846 in Nosara and $131 in Moratuwa. That makes Moratuwa about 93% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 406% more in Nosara, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moratuwa, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Nosara at $1,846. In Moratuwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $1,846 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.