Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Southaven, MS and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nosara: $1,837 a month against $2,497 in Southaven, MS, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Southaven, MS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,497
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,497 per month in Southaven, MS vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Southaven, MS $2,497
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $3,673 per month in Southaven, MS vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Southaven, MS $3,673
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $4,849 per month in Southaven, MS vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Southaven, MS $4,849
  • Nosara $3,712

Southaven, MS costs about 36% more than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Southaven, MS and Nosara sit above the global median – Southaven, MS by 86%, Nosara by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 $17.66
$12.22 ₡5,509
44.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.3 $75.3
$60.2 ₡27.1K
25.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.81 $10.81
$7.54 ₡3,399
43.37%
Cappuccino
$4.91 $4.91
$4.31 ₡1,941
13.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$1.72 ₡773
37.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.35 ₡608
51.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.97 $5.97
$3.24 ₡1,459
84.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.70 $7.70
$4.48 ₡2,018
71.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.82 $0.82
$1.57 ₡707
-47.77%
White Bread (500g)
$3.01 $3.01
$3.17 ₡1,429
-5.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$2.42 ₡1,091
11.16%
Eggs
$3.86 $3.86
$3.57 ₡1,609
8.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.42 $9.42
$7.43 ₡3,349
26.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.59 $9.59
$10.42 ₡4,697
-7.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.26 $14.26
$13.66 ₡6,156
4.39%
Apples (1kg)
$3.87 $3.87
$2.32 ₡1,044
66.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$1.61 ₡728
-13.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.36 $3.36
$4.74 ₡2,138
-29.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.10 $3.10
$1.66 ₡747
86.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 $2.52
$3.72 ₡1,679
-32.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 $2.18
$3.57 ₡1,611
-38.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.12 $2.12
$1.10 ₡497
92.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.55 ₡1,149
-27.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.55 $8.55
$4.95 ₡2,232
72.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.10 $13.10
$20.01 ₡9,020
-34.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$2.79 ₡1,256
-39.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$3.53 ₡1,589
-55.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.19 ₡537
42.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.24 ₡1,011
-9.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 $1.36
$1.55 ₡701
-12.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.20 $20.20
$8.86 ₡3,993
127.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.57 ₡708
-37.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K $34.7K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
59.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-26.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 $171
$93.5 ₡42.1K
82.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$85.5 $85.5
$35.11 ₡15.8K
143.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.9 $75.9
$51.5 ₡23.2K
47.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.96 $40.96
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-42.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.89 $11.89
$7.84 ₡3,535
51.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,579 $1,579
$490 ₡220.7K
222.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,520 $8,520
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-28.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.53 $46.53
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-13.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.63 $33.63
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-39.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.7 $80.7
$79.3 ₡35.7K
1.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 $154
$78.9 ₡35.6K
95.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,586 $1,586
$786 ₡354.3K
101.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,310 $1,310
$780 ₡351.6K
67.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,474 $2,474
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-35.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,134 $2,134
$1,407 ₡634.4K
51.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,720 $2,720
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-60.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,474 $2,474
$1,201 ₡541.3K
106.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Southaven, MS
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$876 ₡395.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.6
8.62
-23.43%

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

Last update for Southaven, MS: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Southaven, MS
$1.3K
Nosara
$780 40.5% $530
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Southaven, MS
$332
Nosara
$180 45.8% $152
Groceries & Markets
Southaven, MS
$321
Nosara
$350 9% $29
Eating Out
Southaven, MS
$295
Nosara
$209 29.1% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Southaven, MS
$142
Nosara
$120 15.2% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Southaven, MS
$65
Nosara
$87 34.5% $22
Getting Around
Southaven, MS
$16 *
Nosara
$87 455% $71

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,586 in Southaven, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Southaven, MS versus $60.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $321 in Southaven, MS vs $350 in Nosara – so Southaven, MS wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Southaven, MS
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
01:51 1:51 AM
00:51 12:51 AM
1 h behind Southaven, MS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
41,295
4,912
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Southaven, MS Nosara 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Southaven, 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
Southaven, MS vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Southaven, MS and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,497 in Southaven, MS, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 36% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Southaven, MS compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,746 per month in Southaven, MS and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Southaven, MS and Nosara?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Southaven, MS and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Southaven, MS – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nosara, where all-in costs run around $1,837, than in Southaven, MS at $2,497. In Nosara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Southaven, MS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Southaven, MS and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,837 in Nosara to $2,497 in Southaven, MS. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Southaven, MS or Nosara 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 Southaven, MS and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Nosara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Southaven, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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