Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Addis Ababa: $1,287 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Addis Ababa
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Addis Ababa Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Addis Ababa

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,287

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Addis Ababa versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Addis Ababa $1,287
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Addis Ababa versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Addis Ababa $1,891
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,495 in Addis Ababa versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Addis Ababa $2,495
Nosara $3,712

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 30% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 4% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ETB 658

$12.22 ₡5,509

-66.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.95 ETB 6,901

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-28.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 ETB 1,061

$7.54 ₡3,399

-12.47%

Cappuccino

$0.89 ETB 142

$4.31 ₡1,941

-79.35%

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

$0.59 ETB 94.2

$1.72 ₡773

-65.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.35 ₡608

-52.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 131

$3.24 ₡1,459

-75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ETB 372

$4.48 ₡2,018

-48.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ETB 171

$1.57 ₡707

-31.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ETB 188

$3.17 ₡1,429

-63.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 349

$2.42 ₡1,091

-10.33%

Eggs

$1.75 ETB 281

$3.57 ₡1,609

-50.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 ETB 1,181

$7.43 ₡3,349

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 ETB 1,632

$10.42 ₡4,697

-2.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 ETB 1,470

$13.66 ₡6,156

-33.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 ETB 853

$2.32 ₡1,044

128.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 110

$1.61 ₡728

-57.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ETB 347

$4.74 ₡2,138

-54.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ETB 105

$1.66 ₡747

-60.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ETB 79.3

$3.72 ₡1,679

-86.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 167

$3.57 ₡1,611

-70.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ETB 111

$1.10 ₡497

-37.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 92.5

$2.55 ₡1,149

-77.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.83 ETB 1,258

$4.95 ₡2,232

58.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 927

$20.01 ₡9,020

-71.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 109

$2.79 ₡1,256

-75.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ETB 206

$3.53 ₡1,589

-63.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ETB 78.1

$1.19 ₡537

-58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 ETB 3,411

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-70.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ETB 214

$2.24 ₡1,011

-40.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.19

$1.55 ₡701

-82.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 327

$8.86 ₡3,993

-76.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 144

$1.57 ₡708

-42.68%

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

$55.7K ETB 8.9M

$21.8K ₡9.8M

155.42%

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

$56.7K ETB 9.1M

$34.6K ₡15.6M

63.66%

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

$204 ETB 32.9K

$93.5 ₡42.1K

118.81%

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

$7.20 ETB 1,156

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-79.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$208 ETB 33.5K

$51.5 ₡23.2K

304.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 ETB 7,066

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-38.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.11 ETB 5,803

$35.44 ₡16.0K

1.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ETB 600

$7.84 ₡3,535

-52.30%

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

$137 ETB 22.0K

$490 ₡220.7K

-71.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K ETB 4.8M

$11.9K ₡5.4M

153.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.12 ETB 5,322

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-38.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.5 ETB 11.5K

$55.8 ₡25.1K

28.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 ETB 12.7K

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 ETB 13.5K

$78.9 ₡35.6K

6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ETB 111.6K

$786 ₡354.3K

-11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ETB 62.7K

$780 ₡351.6K

-49.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 ETB 371.0K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-40.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 ETB 125.6K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-44.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ETB 308.2K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-72.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 ETB 159.2K

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-17.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$205 ETB 32.9K

$876 ₡395.0K

-76.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

8.62

114.62%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Addis Ababa

$420 32.4%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 57.1% $240

Accommodation & Living

Addis Ababa

$390 30.1%

Nosara

$780 43% 100% $390

Groceries & Markets

Addis Ababa

$212 16.3%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 65.2% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Addis Ababa

$120 9.3%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 0.1% $0.1

Eating Out

Addis Ababa

$77 5.9%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 173% $133

Sport & Entertainment

Addis Ababa

$51 4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 69.3% $36

Getting Around

Addis Ababa

$26 2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 236% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Addis Ababa and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 327% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $350 per month, with Addis Ababa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:17 10:17 AM

01:17 1:17 AM

9 h behind Addis Ababa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Addis Ababa Nosara 13,510 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Addis Ababa
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

Addis Ababa vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Nosara differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,837 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 327% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $694 in Addis Ababa versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 239% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Addis Ababa versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Addis Ababa but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Addis Ababa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Addis Ababa and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Addis Ababa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.