Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oxford, MS and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,379 in Oxford, MS, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Oxford, MS outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

114

Cost of Living Index in Oxford, MS
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Oxford, MS Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Oxford, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,379

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oxford, MS and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Oxford, MS and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,379 per month in Oxford, MS vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Oxford, MS $2,379
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,941 per month in Oxford, MS vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Oxford, MS $3,941
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $5,503 per month in Oxford, MS vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Oxford, MS $5,503
Nosara $3,712

Oxford, MS costs about 29% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Oxford, MS and Nosara sit above the global median – Oxford, MS by 78%, Nosara by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.06 $17.06

$12.22 ₡5,509

39.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 $59.7

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-0.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 $11.21

$7.54 ₡3,399

48.67%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$4.31 ₡1,941

15.08%

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

$1.52 $1.52

$1.72 ₡773

-11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.35 ₡608

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.24 ₡1,459

37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 $6.79

$4.48 ₡2,018

51.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.57 ₡707

-44.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.17 ₡1,429

-7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.42 ₡1,091

11.16%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$3.57 ₡1,609

12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 $9.55

$7.43 ₡3,349

28.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 $9.85

$10.42 ₡4,697

-5.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.66 ₡6,156

5.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.32 ₡1,044

63.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.61 ₡728

-13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.74 ₡2,138

-27.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.66 ₡747

78.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.72 ₡1,679

-29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.57 ₡1,611

-37.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.10 ₡497

60.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.55 ₡1,149

-27.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 $7.34

$4.95 ₡2,232

48.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 $12.06

$20.01 ₡9,020

-39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.79 ₡1,256

-41.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.53 ₡1,589

-7.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.24 ₡1,011

97.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.55 ₡701

24.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 $32.88

$8.86 ₡3,993

271.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.57 ₡708

-55.41%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

55.88%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-26.39%

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

$139 $139

$93.5 ₡42.1K

48.68%

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

$49.74 $49.74

$35.11 ₡15.8K

41.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$51.5 ₡23.2K

28.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.07 $25.07

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-64.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$7.84 ₡3,535

51.40%

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

$1,540 $1,540

$490 ₡220.7K

214.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,220 $8,220

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-30.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 $61.6

$53.5 ₡24.1K

15.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 $52.7

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-5.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$79.3 ₡35.7K

10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

$78.9 ₡35.6K

114.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 $1,295

$786 ₡354.3K

64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 $1,266

$780 ₡351.6K

62.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,121 $3,121

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-19.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 $3,156

$1,407 ₡634.4K

124.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,391 $3,391

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-51.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,942 $2,942

$1,201 ₡541.3K

145.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,786 $4,786

$876 ₡395.0K

446.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

8.62

-22.85%

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

Last update for Oxford, MS: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Oxford, MS

$1.3K 53.8%

Nosara

$780 43% 38.4% $486

Groceries & Markets

Oxford, MS

$322 13.7%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 8.4% $27

Eating Out

Oxford, MS

$279 11.9%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 25% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Oxford, MS

$255 10.8%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 29.3% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Oxford, MS

$167 7.1%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 28% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Oxford, MS

$49 2.1%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 78.4% $38

Getting Around

Oxford, MS

$14 * 0.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 516% $73

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,295 in Oxford, MS versus $786 in Nosara. 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 446% higher in Oxford, MS, 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 $60.0 in Oxford, MS versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $350 – making Oxford, MS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Oxford, MS

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

13:37 1:37 PM

12:37 12:37 PM

1 h behind Oxford, MS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,639

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Oxford, MS Nosara 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Oxford, MS
Nosara

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

Oxford, MS vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,379 in Oxford, MS, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,569 per month in Oxford, MS and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nosara, 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 $60.0 in Oxford, MS and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Oxford, MS – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Oxford, MS at $2,379. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oxford, MS 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 $1,837 in Nosara to $2,379 in Oxford, MS. 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 Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oxford, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.