Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Mateo, CA and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,839 a month against $4,419 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $31,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

215

Cost of Living Index in San Mateo, CA
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San Mateo, CA Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,419

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Mateo, CA 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 San Mateo, CA and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,419 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $4,419
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $6,644 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $6,644
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $8,868 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $8,868
Nosara $3,818

San Mateo, CA costs about 140% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Mateo, CA and Nosara sit above the global median – San Mateo, CA by 227%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$12.35 ₡5,539

60.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$61.2 ₡27.4K

60.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$7.52 ₡3,373

71.14%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$4.41 ₡1,978

25.62%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.74 ₡780

77.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.31 ₡587

114.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 $8.31

$3.28 ₡1,471

153.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 $9.86

$4.47 ₡2,004

120.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.56 ₡701

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.02 ₡1,355

97.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.51 ₡1,125

138.25%

Eggs

$7.19 $7.19

$3.57 ₡1,603

101.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$7.43 ₡3,333

79.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$10.52 ₡4,717

80.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

$13.97 ₡6,265

42.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.35 ₡1,052

157.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.61 ₡720

32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.80 ₡2,152

-18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$1.61 ₡724

450.31%

Potato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.80 ₡1,703

14.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.69 ₡1,657

-17.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.13 ₡507

170.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.66 ₡1,191

-25.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$5.18 ₡2,321

130.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 $14.53

$19.88 ₡8,916

-26.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.90 ₡1,300

-41.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.63 ₡1,626

-46.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.12 ₡504

256.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$72.6 ₡32.6K

33.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.14 ₡958

89.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.57 ₡703

29.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.52 ₡682

2.63%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$21.6K ₡9.7M

70.45%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-24.66%

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

$267 $267

$96.3 ₡43.2K

177.07%

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

$41.54 $41.54

$35.89 ₡16.1K

15.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$53.6 ₡24.0K

16.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 $109

$71.6 ₡32.1K

52.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.40 $9.40

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-73.07%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 $18.35

$7.89 ₡3,539

132.57%

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

$2,947 $2,947

$494 ₡221.6K

496.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K $28.8K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

143.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 $63.6

$53.9 ₡24.2K

17.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 $47.52

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$77.9 ₡34.9K

50.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$79.6 ₡35.7K

69.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,421 $3,421

$788 ₡353.4K

334.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,741 $2,741

$794 ₡356.2K

245.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,944 $5,944

$3,939 ₡1.8M

50.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$1,419 ₡636.5K

261.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K $13.8K

$6,912 ₡3.1M

99.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,907 $8,907

$1,224 ₡549.0K

627.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,501 $7,501

$864 ₡387.3K

768.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

8.62

-24.25%

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

Last update for San Mateo, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Mateo, CA

$2.7K 62%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 71% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

San Mateo, CA

$523 11.8%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 32.6% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Mateo, CA

$371 8.4%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 49.9% $185

Eating Out

San Mateo, CA

$348 7.9%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 39.2% $137

Clothing & Footwear

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.7%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 26.4% $43

Sport & Entertainment

San Mateo, CA

$146 3.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 40% $58

Getting Around

San Mateo, CA

$127 2.9%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 31.5% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,421 in San Mateo, CA versus $788 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 769% higher in San Mateo, CA, 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 $98.0 in San Mateo, CA versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $523 vs $352 – making Nosara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

07:44 7:44 AM

08:44 8:44 AM

1 h ahead of San Mateo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,536

4,912

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Mateo, CA Nosara 4,780 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

San Mateo, CA
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

San Mateo, CA vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,419 in San Mateo, CA, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 140% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,628 per month in San Mateo, CA and $2,758 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.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Nosara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,947 per month in San Mateo, CA and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,839, than in San Mateo, CA at $4,419. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Mateo, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Mateo, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,839 in Nosara to $4,419 in San Mateo, CA. 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, San Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.