Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Toamasina

For one person, living is cheaper in Toamasina: $465 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 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

$1,839

/mo nomad

Toamasina

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$465

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Toamasina

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $465 in Toamasina, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Toamasina $465

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $753 in Toamasina, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Toamasina $753

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,041 in Toamasina, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Toamasina $1,041

Nosara costs about 296% more than Toamasina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Toamasina is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$2.63 MGA 12.0K

369.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$15.74 MGA 71.8K

288.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$4.35 MGA 19.9K

72.87%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$1.09 MGA 4,993

304.59%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.53 MGA 2,430

228.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.09 MGA 4,974

200.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$1.08 MGA 4,933

313.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.10 MGA 5,015

41.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.09 MGA 4,990

177.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.02 MGA 4,663

146.08%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.83 MGA 8,346

95.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$12.50 MGA 57.0K

-40.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.69 MGA 35.1K

36.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$6.18 MGA 28.2K

126.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.52 MGA 6,915

54.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.29 MGA 5,890

24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.57 MGA 7,155

205.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$0.68 MGA 3,090

136.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.62 MGA 2,835

512.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.55 MGA 2,508

570.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.34 MGA 1,561

232.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.49 MGA 2,242

442.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$1.72 MGA 7,845

201.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$0.85 MGA 3,889

241.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.08 MGA 4,945

236.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.34 MGA 1,565

229.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.11 MGA 5,046

36.94%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$30.98 MGA 141.3K

15.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$66.3 MGA 302.4K

-19.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$21.83 MGA 99.6K

227.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$6.82 MGA 31.1K

15.69%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$8.91 MGA 40.6K

505.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$6.77 MGA 30.9K

718.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$55.9 MGA 255.2K

39.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$37.06 MGA 169.1K

114.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$135 MGA 617.9K

481.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$55.5 MGA 252.9K

1332.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$444 MGA 2.0M

786.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$134 MGA 612.1K

957.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$133 MGA 606.3K

549.68%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Toamasina: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Toamasina

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Toamasina

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Toamasina

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Toamasina

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Toamasina

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Toamasina

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Toamasina

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $135 in Toamasina. 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 550% 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 $16.00 in Toamasina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $169 – making Toamasina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇬 Toamasina

🕒 Local time

23:28 11:28 PM

08:28 8:28 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

325,857

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Toamasina 15,100 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Toamasina

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 Toamasina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $465 in Toamasina – roughly 296% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $697 in Toamasina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Toamasina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $16.00 in Toamasina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $465 in Toamasina. That's a gap of about 296%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Toamasina, where all-in costs run around $465, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Toamasina 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 $465 in Toamasina to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Toamasina. 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.