Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisumu and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisumu: $643 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Kisumu
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Kisumu Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Kisumu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$643

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $643 per month in Kisumu vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Kisumu $643
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $972 per month in Kisumu vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Kisumu $972
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,302 per month in Kisumu vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Kisumu $1,302
Nosara $3,818

Kisumu is about 65% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kisumu sits 52% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.67 KES 606

$12.35 ₡5,539

-62.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.63 KES 3,193

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-59.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 KES 848

$7.52 ₡3,373

-13.03%

Cappuccino

$2.63 KES 342

$4.41 ₡1,978

-40.36%

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

$0.67 KES 86.8

$1.74 ₡780

-61.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 72.9

$1.31 ₡587

-57.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 254

$3.28 ₡1,471

-40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 353

$4.47 ₡2,004

-39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 KES 72.1

$1.56 ₡701

-64.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$3.02 ₡1,355

-82.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 KES 245

$2.51 ₡1,125

-24.70%

Eggs

$1.64 KES 212

$3.57 ₡1,603

-54.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 KES 1,388

$7.43 ₡3,333

44.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 814

$10.52 ₡4,717

-40.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 KES 656

$13.97 ₡6,265

-63.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 KES 437

$2.35 ₡1,052

43.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.61 ₡720

-44.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 KES 257

$4.80 ₡2,152

-58.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.61 ₡724

-31.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$3.80 ₡1,703

-71.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 KES 117

$3.69 ₡1,657

-75.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$1.13 ₡507

-38.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.6

$2.66 ₡1,191

-72.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 KES 395

$5.18 ₡2,321

-41.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,024

$19.88 ₡8,916

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 KES 298

$2.90 ₡1,300

-20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 KES 306

$3.63 ₡1,626

-34.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

$1.12 ₡504

-33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.05 KES 2,989

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-68.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.14 ₡958

-26.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.57 ₡703

-4.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 KES 365

$8.52 ₡3,823

-66.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 KES 210

$1.52 ₡682

6.58%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

-0.53%

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

$20.6K KES 2.7M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-40.40%

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

$54.9 KES 7,119

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-42.97%

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

$15.40 KES 1,997

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-57.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.59 KES 4,614

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-33.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.87 KES 2,965

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-68.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 KES 998

$7.89 ₡3,539

-2.41%

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

$115 KES 14.9K

$494 ₡221.6K

-76.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

3.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.41 KES 1,479

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-78.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.63 KES 2,545

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-64.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.49 KES 2,008

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-80.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.27 KES 1,979

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-80.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 KES 19.6K

$788 ₡353.4K

-80.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 KES 18.0K

$794 ₡356.2K

-82.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 KES 72.6K

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-85.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 KES 27.4K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-85.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$765 KES 99.2K

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-88.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$779 KES 101.0K

$864 ₡387.3K

-9.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

8.62

70.65%

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

Last update for Kisumu: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kisumu

$188 29.2%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 87.5% $164

Accommodation & Living

Kisumu

$139 21.6%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 472% $655

Eating Out

Kisumu

$109 16.9%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 94.7% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kisumu

$106 16.5%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 75.4% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Kisumu

$38 6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 128% $49

Getting Around

Kisumu

$35 5.5%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 148% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Kisumu

$28 4.3%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 332% $92

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $151 in Kisumu 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 11% 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 $25.00 in Kisumu versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $352 – making Kisumu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Kisumu

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

16:14 4:14 PM

07:14 7:14 AM

9 h behind Kisumu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,155,574

4,912

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to KES in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kisumu Nosara 13,330 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Kisumu
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

Kisumu vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 186% more than Kisumu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $964 per month in Kisumu and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kisumu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kisumu and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kisumu, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Kisumu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $643 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kisumu. 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.