Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maiduguri and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $172 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$172

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $172 in Maiduguri versus $1,839 in Nosara.

Maiduguri $172
Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $288 in Maiduguri versus $2,828 in Nosara.

Maiduguri $288
Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $403 in Maiduguri versus $3,818 in Nosara.

Maiduguri $403
Nosara $3,818

Living in Maiduguri costs roughly 91% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maiduguri is 87% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.55 ₦735

$12.35 ₡5,539

-95.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$1.90 ₦2,521

$7.52 ₡3,373

-74.73%

Cappuccino

$0.86 ₦1,138

$4.41 ₡1,978

-80.50%

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

$0.25 ₦331

$1.74 ₡780

-85.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₦240

$1.31 ₡587

-86.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₦1,368

$3.02 ₡1,355

-65.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 ₦2,643

$2.51 ₡1,125

-20.72%

Eggs

$1.76 ₦2,341

$3.57 ₡1,603

-50.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 ₦6,847

$10.52 ₡4,717

-51.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 ₦5,286

$13.97 ₡6,265

-71.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 ₦5,397

$2.35 ₡1,052

72.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₦1,360

$1.61 ₡724

-36.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ₦2,045

$3.80 ₡1,703

-59.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ₦1,355

$3.69 ₡1,657

-72.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₦554

$1.13 ₡507

-62.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦412

$2.66 ₡1,191

-88.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₦525

$1.12 ₡504

-65.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.25 ₦332

$1.52 ₡682

-83.55%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$8.04 ₦10.7K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-77.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.05 ₦10.7K

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-76.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

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

$494 ₡221.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.39 ₦27.1K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-62.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.78 ₦23.6K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-67.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.34 ₦33.7K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-67.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.13 ₦33.4K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-68.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

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 Maiduguri: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maiduguri

–

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Groceries & Markets

Maiduguri

–

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Eating Out

Maiduguri

–

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maiduguri

–

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Maiduguri

–

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Maiduguri

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Maiduguri

–

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

20:05 8:05 PM

13:05 1:05 PM

7 h behind Maiduguri

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,197,497

4,912

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,496 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 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).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Maiduguri Nosara 10,720 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Maiduguri
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

Maiduguri vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maiduguri is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 969% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $258 in Maiduguri and $2,758 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 251% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $172 per month in Maiduguri versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 969% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $172 in Maiduguri versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maiduguri but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Maiduguri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maiduguri 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, Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 969% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.