Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abomey-Calavi and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Abomey-Calavi: $714 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Abomey-Calavi
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Abomey-Calavi Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Abomey-Calavi

🇧🇯 Benin

$714

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $714 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi $714
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,133 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi $1,133
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,553 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi $1,553
Nosara $3,712

Abomey-Calavi is about 61% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Abomey-Calavi sits 47% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 F CFA 3,375

$12.22 ₡5,509

-52.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.69 F CFA 15.0K

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-57.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 F CFA 4,745

$7.54 ₡3,399

7.56%

Cappuccino

$4.71 F CFA 2,753

$4.31 ₡1,941

9.28%

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

$1.11 F CFA 647

$1.72 ₡773

-35.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 F CFA 1,032

$1.35 ₡608

30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 F CFA 1,031

$3.24 ₡1,459

-45.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 F CFA 2,967

$4.48 ₡2,018

13.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 F CFA 1,282

$1.57 ₡707

39.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 F CFA 145

$3.17 ₡1,429

-92.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 F CFA 1,148

$2.42 ₡1,091

-19.01%

Eggs

$2.03 F CFA 1,190

$3.57 ₡1,609

-43.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 F CFA 1,999

$7.43 ₡3,349

-53.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 F CFA 2,220

$10.42 ₡4,697

-63.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.90 F CFA 3,453

$13.66 ₡6,156

-56.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 F CFA 1,296

$2.32 ₡1,044

-4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 F CFA 526

$1.61 ₡728

-44.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 F CFA 389

$4.74 ₡2,138

-85.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 F CFA 1,188

$1.66 ₡747

22.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 F CFA 570

$3.72 ₡1,679

-73.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 F CFA 475

$3.57 ₡1,611

-77.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 F CFA 397

$1.10 ₡497

-38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 519

$2.55 ₡1,149

-65.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.44 F CFA 260

$4.95 ₡2,232

-91.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 F CFA 6,237

$20.01 ₡9,020

-46.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 F CFA 566

$2.79 ₡1,256

-65.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 654

$3.53 ₡1,589

-68.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.65 F CFA 4,474

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-89.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 F CFA 1,003

$2.24 ₡1,011

-23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 F CFA 1,025

$1.55 ₡701

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 F CFA 710

$1.57 ₡708

-22.93%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$119 F CFA 69.8K

$93.5 ₡42.1K

27.66%

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

$19.96 F CFA 11.7K

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-43.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.0 F CFA 50.9K

$51.5 ₡23.2K

68.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.49 F CFA 20.2K

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-51.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.19 F CFA 3,035

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-85.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 F CFA 3,564

$7.84 ₡3,535

-22.32%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.19 F CFA 10.1K

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-67.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.54 F CFA 4,998

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-84.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.30 F CFA 15.4K

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-66.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.80 F CFA 15.1K

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-67.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 F CFA 58.8K

$786 ₡354.3K

-87.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.8 F CFA 43.2K

$780 ₡351.6K

-90.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 F CFA 129.2K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-94.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 F CFA 162.5K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-80.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$85.1 F CFA 49.8K

$876 ₡395.0K

-90.29%

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 Abomey-Calavi: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abomey-Calavi

$226 31.4%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 20.4% $46

Groceries & Markets

Abomey-Calavi

$163 22.6%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 115% $187

Eating Out

Abomey-Calavi

$157 21.9%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 33.1% $52

Accommodation & Living

Abomey-Calavi

$74 10.3%

Nosara

$780 43% 956% $706

Sport & Entertainment

Abomey-Calavi

$47 6.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 86.6% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Abomey-Calavi

$35 4.9%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 244% $85

Getting Around

Abomey-Calavi

$18 * 2.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 379% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $101 in Abomey-Calavi 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 930% 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 $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $163 vs $350 – making Abomey-Calavi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇯 Abomey-Calavi

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

13:22 1:22 PM

06:22 6:22 AM

7 h behind Abomey-Calavi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

650,000

4,912

💱 Currency

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 West African CFA Franc (Fr)

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to XOF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Abomey-Calavi Nosara 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Abomey-Calavi
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

Abomey-Calavi vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 157%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,071 per month in Abomey-Calavi 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 Abomey-Calavi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $714 in Abomey-Calavi and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 157%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Abomey-Calavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – 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 Abomey-Calavi. 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.