Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gulu and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $117 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Gulu

🇺🇬 Uganda

$117

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $117 in Gulu versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Gulu $117
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $170 in Gulu versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Gulu $170
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $223 in Gulu versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Gulu $223
Nosara $3,712

Living in Gulu costs roughly 94% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gulu is 91% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.26 UGX 5,091

$12.22 ₡5,509

-89.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 UGX 44.4K

$7.54 ₡3,399

45.62%

Cappuccino

$2.44 UGX 9,864

$4.31 ₡1,941

-43.39%

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

$0.24 UGX 964

$1.72 ₡773

-86.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 UGX 522

$1.35 ₡608

-90.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 UGX 3,107

$3.24 ₡1,459

-76.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 UGX 10.2K

$4.48 ₡2,018

-43.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 UGX 3,975

$1.19 ₡537

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 UGX 122.8K

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-57.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 UGX 4,990

$1.57 ₡708

-21.66%

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)

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

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)

$876 ₡395.0K

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 Gulu: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gulu

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Gulu

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Gulu

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gulu

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Gulu

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Gulu

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Gulu

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Good to know

🇺🇬 Gulu

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

11:31 11:31 AM

02:31 2:31 AM

9 h behind Gulu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,276

4,912

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.47 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.2 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇬 Ugandan Shilling (Sh)

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4,045 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.47 USD). 1 EUR = 4,537 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.2 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 UGX in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Gulu Nosara 13,000 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Gulu
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

Gulu vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gulu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and groceries. The 1468% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $176 in Gulu and $2,756 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

A monthly transit pass in Gulu runs roughly 137% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $117 per month in Gulu versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 1468% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $117 in Gulu versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gulu but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Gulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gulu 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, Gulu 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 Gulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1468% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.