Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aba and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $408 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Aba

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$408

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $408 per month in Aba vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Aba $408
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $664 per month in Aba vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Aba $664
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $921 per month in Aba vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Aba $921
Nosara $3,818

Aba is about 78% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Aba sits 70% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 ₦9,880

$7.52 ₡3,373

-1.20%

Cappuccino

$0.87 ₦1,159

$4.41 ₡1,978

-80.27%

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

$1.74 ₡780

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₦2,746

$3.28 ₡1,471

-37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₦3,120

$4.47 ₡2,004

-47.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.69 ₦4,907

$1.56 ₡701

136.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 ₦2,951

$3.02 ₡1,355

-26.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.43 ₦15.2K

$7.43 ₡3,333

53.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.28 ₦1,703

$13.97 ₡6,265

-90.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ₦7,121

$2.35 ₡1,052

127.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₦740

$1.61 ₡720

-65.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 ₦4,811

$3.80 ₡1,703

-4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₦1,539

$1.13 ₡507

2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₦184

$2.66 ₡1,191

-94.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.47 ₦1,959

$5.18 ₡2,321

-71.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 ₦9,870

$19.88 ₡8,916

-62.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₦1,683

$2.90 ₡1,300

-56.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₦1,940

$3.63 ₡1,626

-59.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 ₦12.3K

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-87.28%

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

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

$6,010 ₦8.0M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

-72.19%

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

$7,584 ₦10.1M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-78.03%

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

$116 ₦153.7K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

20.02%

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

$2.22 ₦2,957

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-93.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.39 ₦60.4K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-15.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$2.06 ₦2,734

$7.89 ₡3,539

-73.89%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,067 ₦1.4M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-91.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.19 ₦20.2K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-80.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.89 ₦25.1K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-76.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ₦177.5K

$788 ₡353.4K

-83.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₦599.4K

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-88.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₦303.9K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-83.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,102 ₦1.5M

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-84.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 ₦624.0K

$1,224 ₡549.0K

-61.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$96.4 ₦128.2K

$864 ₡387.3K

-88.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

39.21%

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

Last update for Aba: 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

Aba

–

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Groceries & Markets

Aba

–

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Eating Out

Aba

–

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Aba

–

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Aba

–

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Aba

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Aba

–

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Aba 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 796% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Aba

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

18:18 6:18 PM

11:18 11:18 AM

7 h behind Aba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,020,900

4,912

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,496 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Aba Nosara 10,240 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Aba
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

Aba vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 350%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $612 per month in Aba 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 Aba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 686% less in Aba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aba, where all-in costs run around $408, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Aba. 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.