Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Mbeya: $419 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$419

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $419 per month in Mbeya vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Mbeya $419
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $653 per month in Mbeya vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Mbeya $653
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $888 per month in Mbeya vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Mbeya $888
Nosara $3,712

Mbeya is about 77% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mbeya sits 69% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.66 TZS 59.5K

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-62.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 TZS 19.6K

$7.54 ₡3,399

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$1.54 TZS 4,050

$4.31 ₡1,941

-64.27%

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

$0.37 TZS 961

$1.72 ₡773

-78.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,033

$1.35 ₡608

-71.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 TZS 1,899

$3.24 ₡1,459

-77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,441

$1.57 ₡707

-64.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 TZS 2,578

$3.17 ₡1,429

-69.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 TZS 2,545

$2.42 ₡1,091

-59.92%

Eggs

$2.22 TZS 5,821

$3.57 ₡1,609

-37.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.70 TZS 9,713

$7.43 ₡3,349

-50.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 TZS 9,806

$10.42 ₡4,697

-64.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.49 TZS 9,148

$13.66 ₡6,156

-74.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 TZS 2,924

$2.32 ₡1,044

-52.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,056

$1.61 ₡728

-51.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,610

$4.74 ₡2,138

-79.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TZS 1,954

$1.66 ₡747

-55.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,439

$3.72 ₡1,679

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,928

$3.57 ₡1,611

-79.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 TZS 1,529

$1.10 ₡497

-47.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,048

$2.55 ₡1,149

-69.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 TZS 2,943

$4.95 ₡2,232

-77.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.82 TZS 10.0K

$20.01 ₡9,020

-80.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 TZS 1,908

$2.79 ₡1,256

-73.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 TZS 2,923

$3.53 ₡1,589

-68.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TZS 957

$1.19 ₡537

-69.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 TZS 2,906

$2.24 ₡1,011

-50.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 TZS 5,024

$1.55 ₡701

23.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 TZS 7,031

$8.86 ₡3,993

-69.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 TZS 3,111

$1.57 ₡708

-24.20%

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)

$23.67 TZS 62.1K

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-74.67%

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

$18.99 TZS 49.8K

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-45.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.78 TZS 117.5K

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-13.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.23 TZS 100.3K

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-46.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

$7.84 ₡3,535

23.09%

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

$186 TZS 487.8K

$490 ₡220.7K

-62.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,137 TZS 3.0M

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-90.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.26 TZS 29.6K

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-78.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.75 TZS 25.6K

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-82.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$18.97 TZS 49.8K

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-76.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.24 TZS 68.8K

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-66.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 294.2K

$786 ₡354.3K

-85.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 TZS 200.5K

$780 ₡351.6K

-90.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 TZS 497.9K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-95.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 299.3K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-91.89%

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)

$191 TZS 501.0K

$876 ₡395.0K

-78.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

50.81%

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

Last update for Mbeya: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mbeya

$116 27.1%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 202% $234

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mbeya

$87 20.5%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 106% $93

Accommodation & Living

Mbeya

$76 17.9%

Nosara

$780 43% 921% $703

Sport & Entertainment

Mbeya

$58 13.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 51.4% $30

Eating Out

Mbeya

$48 * 11.2%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 340% $162

Clothing & Footwear

Mbeya

$30 7%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 304% $91

Getting Around

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 615% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $112 in Mbeya versus $786 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 359% 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 $23.00 in Mbeya versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $350 – making Mbeya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

10:01 10:01 AM

01:01 1:01 AM

9 h behind Mbeya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

541,603

4,912

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2,624 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD). 1 EUR = 2,943 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 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 TZS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mbeya Nosara 13,350 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Mbeya
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

Mbeya vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 339%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $628 per month in Mbeya and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $419 in Mbeya and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 339%.

Kindergarten costs $186 per month in Mbeya and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbeya, where all-in costs run around $419, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Mbeya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mbeya. 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.