Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ben Arous: $698 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ben Arous
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$698
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $698 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ben Arous $698
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,098 per month in Ben Arous vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ben Arous $1,098
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,497 per month in Ben Arous vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ben Arous $1,497
  • Nosara $3,818

Ben Arous is about 62% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ben Arous sits 48% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.31 TND 15.90
$12.35 ₡5,539
-57.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.81 TND 59.3
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-67.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.06 TND 15.14
$7.52 ₡3,373
-32.71%
Cappuccino
$1.16 TND 3.48
$4.41 ₡1,978
-73.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 TND 1.95
$1.74 ₡780
-62.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 TND 0.81
$1.31 ₡587
-79.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.65 TND 4.95
$3.28 ₡1,471
-49.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 TND 6.12
$4.47 ₡2,004
-54.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.52 TND 1.54
$1.56 ₡701
-66.67%
White Bread (500g)
$0.10 TND 0.29
$3.02 ₡1,355
-96.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 TND 5.08
$2.51 ₡1,125
-32.27%
Eggs
$1.48 TND 4.43
$3.57 ₡1,603
-58.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.27 TND 30.76
$7.43 ₡3,333
38.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.91 TND 17.70
$10.52 ₡4,717
-43.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.19 TND 51.5
$13.97 ₡6,265
23.05%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 TND 5.01
$2.35 ₡1,052
-28.94%
Banana (1kg)
$4.47 TND 13.38
$1.61 ₡720
177.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.95 TND 2.84
$4.80 ₡2,152
-80.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.80 TND 2.41
$1.61 ₡724
-50.31%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 TND 2.69
$3.80 ₡1,703
-76.32%
Onion (1kg)
$0.66 TND 1.97
$3.69 ₡1,657
-82.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 TND 1.56
$1.13 ₡507
-53.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 TND 0.93
$2.66 ₡1,191
-88.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.49 TND 10.46
$5.18 ₡2,321
-32.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.62 TND 19.82
$19.88 ₡8,916
-66.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 TND 2.99
$2.90 ₡1,300
-65.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 TND 3.68
$3.63 ₡1,626
-66.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 TND 1.14
$1.12 ₡504
-66.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.56 TND 40.61
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-81.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 TND 0.93
$2.14 ₡958
-85.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 TND 0.92
$1.57 ₡703
-80.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.75 TND 5.23
$8.52 ₡3,823
-79.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 TND 2.58
$1.52 ₡682
-43.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.9K TND 119.6K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
84.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K TND 69.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-33.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$53.9 TND 162
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-43.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.87 TND 29.56
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-72.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.83 TND 62.4
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-61.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.08 TND 96.1
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-55.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 TND 49.46
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-52.68%
Cinema Ticket
$5.11 TND 15.29
$7.89 ₡3,539
-35.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$61.0 TND 183
$494 ₡221.6K
-87.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,947 TND 5,830
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-83.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.31 TND 130
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-19.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.2 TND 180
$55.4 ₡24.8K
8.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.8 TND 257
$77.9 ₡34.9K
10.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.95 TND 141
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-41.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$209 TND 626
$788 ₡353.4K
-73.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 TND 467
$794 ₡356.2K
-80.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$386 TND 1,155
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-90.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$267 TND 799
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-81.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$933 TND 2,795
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-86.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$415 TND 1,243
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-66.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ben Arous
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$247 TND 739
$864 ₡387.3K
-71.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.5
8.62
21.81%

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

Last update for Ben Arous: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ben Arous
$204
Nosara
$352 72.5% $148
Accommodation & Living
Ben Arous
$156
Nosara
$794 409% $638
Clothing & Footwear
Ben Arous
$106
Nosara
$120 13% $14
Eating Out
Ben Arous
$88
Nosara
$212 142% $124
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ben Arous
$85
Nosara
$186 120% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Ben Arous
$42
Nosara
$87 107% $45
Getting Around
Ben Arous
$17
Nosara
$87 415% $70

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Ben Arous 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 250% 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 $20.00 in Ben Arous versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $352 – making Ben Arous the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Ben Arous
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
18:36 6:36 PM
11:36 11:36 AM
7 h behind Ben Arous
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
88,322
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ben Arous Nosara 9,860 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ben Arous
  • 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
Ben Arous vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ben Arous and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $698 in Ben Arous, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 163% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Ben Arous compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,047 per month in Ben Arous and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ben Arous and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, 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 $20.00 in Ben Arous and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ben Arous or Nosara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $698 in Ben Arous and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 163%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $698, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Ben Arous it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ben Arous and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $698 in Ben Arous to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ben Arous 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 Ben Arous and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Ben Arous. 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.

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