For one person, living is cheaper in Sale: $635 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Sale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $635 in Sale, rent included.
Nosara $1,839
Sale $635
A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,044 in Sale, rent included.
Nosara $2,828
Sale $1,044
A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,453 in Sale, rent included.
Nosara $3,818
Sale $1,453
😐
Nosara costs about 190% more than Sale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Sale is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Sale
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35₡5,539
$3.63MAD 35.42
240.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2₡27.4K
$17.82MAD 174
243.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.52₡3,373
$7.19MAD 70.1
4.59%
Cappuccino
$4.41₡1,978
$1.76MAD 17.20
150.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74₡780
$0.60MAD 5.81
190.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31₡587
$0.32MAD 3.16
309.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.28₡1,471
$2.63MAD 25.63
24.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47₡2,004
$3.05MAD 29.76
46.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Sale
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56₡701
$0.90MAD 8.77
73.33%
White Bread(500g)
$3.02₡1,355
$0.65MAD 6.36
364.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.51₡1,125
$1.90MAD 18.57
32.11%
Eggs
$3.57₡1,603
$1.86MAD 18.10
91.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.43₡3,333
$11.31MAD 110
-34.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.52₡4,717
$6.89MAD 67.2
52.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.97₡6,265
$12.38MAD 121
12.84%
Apples(1kg)
$2.35₡1,052
$1.34MAD 13.05
75.37%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61₡720
$1.18MAD 11.48
36.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.80₡2,152
$0.84MAD 8.23
471.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.61₡724
$0.90MAD 8.76
78.89%
Potato(1kg)
$3.80₡1,703
$0.68MAD 6.62
458.82%
Onion(1kg)
$3.69₡1,657
$0.73MAD 7.15
405.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13₡507
$0.47MAD 4.58
140.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66₡1,191
$0.62MAD 6.03
329.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18₡2,321
$3.75MAD 36.51
38.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.88₡8,916
$4.74MAD 46.23
319.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90₡1,300
$2.23MAD 21.75
30.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63₡1,626
$2.13MAD 20.81
70.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Sale
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.12₡504
$0.55MAD 5.32
103.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$72.6₡32.6K
$23.03MAD 225
215.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.14₡958
$0.69MAD 6.78
210.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.57₡703
$0.50MAD 4.85
214.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.52₡3,823
$4.03MAD 39.30
111.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.52₡682
$1.48MAD 14.46
2.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K₡9.7M
$31.0KMAD 301.9K
-30.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K₡15.5M
$30.8KMAD 300.4K
12.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Sale
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$96.3₡43.2K
$37.71MAD 368
155.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89₡16.1K
$10.53MAD 103
240.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6₡24.0K
$40.93MAD 399
30.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Sale
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$71.6₡32.1K
$16.62MAD 162
330.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91₡15.7K
$40.69MAD 397
-14.20%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89₡3,539
$5.29MAD 51.6
49.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Sale
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$494₡221.6K
$104MAD 1,010
377.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9K₡5.3M
$5,903MAD 57.6K
100.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Sale
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9₡24.2K
$32.27MAD 315
67.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4₡24.8K
$46.59MAD 454
18.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.9₡34.9K
$71.9MAD 701
8.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6₡35.7K
$66.4MAD 648
19.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Sale
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$788₡353.4K
$208MAD 2,025
279.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$794₡356.2K
$102MAD 994
679.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,939₡1.8M
$356MAD 3,473
1005.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,419₡636.5K
$260MAD 2,532
446.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,912₡3.1M
$1,126MAD 11.0K
513.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,224₡549.0K
$838MAD 8,167
46.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Sale
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$864₡387.3K
$516MAD 5,033
67.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.62
5
72.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026
Last update for Sale: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794 43.2%
Sale
$102 16.1% ↓ 87.2%$692
🛒Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352 19.2%
Sale
$195 30.8% ↓ 44.5%$157
🍽Eating Out
Nosara
$212 11.5%
Sale
$95 14.9% ↓ 55.3%$117
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186 10.1%
Sale
$89 14.1% ↓ 52%$97
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120 6.5%
Sale
$98 15.4% ↓ 18.6%$22
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87 4.8%
Sale
$27 4.3% ↓ 68.9%$60
🚌Getting Around
Nosara
$87 4.7%
Sale
$28 4.5% ↓ 67.4%$59
🏠Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$1.4K 37.2%
Sale
$260 17.9% ↓ 81.7%$1.2K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$790 20.7%
Sale
$452 31.1% ↓ 42.8%$338
🍽Eating Out
Nosara
$734 19.2%
Sale
$272 18.7% ↓ 63%$463
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$222 5.8%
Sale
$100 6.9% ↓ 55%$122
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$267 7%
Sale
$217 15% ↓ 18.6%$50
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$210 5.5%
Sale
$95 6.6% ↓ 54.6%$115
🚌Getting Around
Nosara
$176 4.6%
Sale
$58 4% ↓ 67.2%$119
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $208 in Sale. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 67% 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $18.00 in Sale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $195 – making Sale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Sale compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $635 in Sale – roughly 190% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Sale?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $952 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Sale?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Sale?
Public transport costs about 215% less in Sale. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Sale?
Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $104 in Sale. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Sale?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $635 in Sale to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Sale 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.
How do I decide between Nosara and Sale?
If budget matters most, go with Sale. 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.