Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Cotonou: $901 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cotonou
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Cotonou Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Cotonou

🇧🇯 Benin

$901

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Cotonou versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Cotonou $901
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,417 in Cotonou versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Cotonou $1,417
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,933 in Cotonou versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Cotonou $1,933
Nosara $3,712

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 51% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 33% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 F CFA 2,954

$12.22 ₡5,509

-58.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.47 F CFA 20.8K

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-41.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 F CFA 5,592

$7.54 ₡3,399

26.79%

Cappuccino

$5.21 F CFA 3,051

$4.31 ₡1,941

20.88%

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

$1.06 F CFA 619

$1.72 ₡773

-38.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 521

$1.35 ₡608

-34.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.84 F CFA 490

$3.24 ₡1,459

-74.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 F CFA 1,497

$4.48 ₡2,018

-42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 F CFA 1,793

$1.57 ₡707

95.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 F CFA 695

$3.17 ₡1,429

-62.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 F CFA 1,070

$2.42 ₡1,091

-24.38%

Eggs

$2.69 F CFA 1,576

$3.57 ₡1,609

-24.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 F CFA 5,375

$7.43 ₡3,349

23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 F CFA 3,180

$10.42 ₡4,697

-47.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 F CFA 2,946

$13.66 ₡6,156

-63.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 F CFA 2,372

$2.32 ₡1,044

74.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 F CFA 1,074

$1.61 ₡728

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 F CFA 750

$4.74 ₡2,138

-73.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 F CFA 1,595

$1.66 ₡747

64.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 736

$3.72 ₡1,679

-66.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 1,021

$3.57 ₡1,611

-51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 F CFA 256

$1.10 ₡497

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 F CFA 641

$2.55 ₡1,149

-56.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 F CFA 2,037

$4.95 ₡2,232

-29.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.18 F CFA 2,444

$20.01 ₡9,020

-79.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 718

$2.79 ₡1,256

-55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 F CFA 1,116

$3.53 ₡1,589

-45.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 F CFA 757

$1.19 ₡537

8.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 F CFA 782

$2.24 ₡1,011

-40.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 F CFA 809

$1.55 ₡701

-10.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 F CFA 727

$1.57 ₡708

-21.02%

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)

$24.0K F CFA 14.1M

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-30.58%

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

$146 F CFA 85.4K

$93.5 ₡42.1K

56.21%

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

$33.86 F CFA 19.8K

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-3.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.15 F CFA 28.8K

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-4.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.30 F CFA 28.8K

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-30.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.44 F CFA 2,015

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-90.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.68 F CFA 5,079

$7.84 ₡3,535

10.71%

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

$131 F CFA 76.5K

$490 ₡220.7K

-73.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,460 F CFA 3.2M

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-54.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.96 F CFA 15.2K

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-51.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.73 F CFA 19.7K

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-57.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 F CFA 39.7K

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-13.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 F CFA 105.6K

$786 ₡354.3K

-77.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 F CFA 96.6K

$780 ₡351.6K

-78.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 F CFA 350.7K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-84.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 F CFA 240.7K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-70.77%

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)

$258 F CFA 151.0K

$876 ₡395.0K

-70.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-53.60%

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

Last update for Cotonou: 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

Cotonou

$229 25.4%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 21.4% $49

Groceries & Markets

Cotonou

$221 24.5%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 58.2% $129

Accommodation & Living

Cotonou

$165 18.3%

Nosara

$780 43% 373% $615

Eating Out

Cotonou

$149 16.5%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 40.8% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Cotonou

$67 7.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 30.6% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Cotonou

$57 * 6.4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 110% $63

Getting Around

Cotonou

$13 * 1.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 547% $73

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Cotonou and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 239% 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: $35.00 in Cotonou vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $350 per month, with Cotonou cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇯 Cotonou

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

06:09 6:09 AM

23:09 11:09 PM

7 h behind Cotonou

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

780,000

4,912

💱 Currency

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.52 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 = 1.52 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 XOF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cotonou Nosara 9,680 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cotonou
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

Cotonou vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 239% 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: $180 in Cotonou versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $901 per month in Cotonou versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $901 in Cotonou versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cotonou 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 Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.