Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Minna and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Minna: $581 a month against $1,846 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Minna, Nigeria
Nosara, Costa Rica
Minna
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$581
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,846
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $581 in Minna versus $1,846 in Nosara.

  • Minna $581
  • Nosara $1,846

Estimated couple costs with rent: $927 in Minna versus $2,833 in Nosara.

  • Minna $927
  • Nosara $2,833

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,272 in Minna versus $3,820 in Nosara.

  • Minna $1,272
  • Nosara $3,820

Living in Minna costs roughly 69% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Minna is 57% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Minna
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.98 ₦2,658
$12.36 ₡5,575
-83.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.36 ₦40.7K
$60.8 ₡27.4K
-50.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.07 ₦5,455
$7.88 ₡3,557
-48.35%
Cappuccino
$3.28 ₦4,390
$4.40 ₡1,986
-25.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₦573
$1.72 ₡776
-75.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ₦944
$1.34 ₡603
-47.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.99 ₦1,326
$3.34 ₡1,505
-70.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 ₦2,640
$4.54 ₡2,048
-56.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Minna
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.67 ₦4,921
$1.64 ₡739
123.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.28 ₦1,714
$3.16 ₡1,426
-59.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.73 ₦983
$2.39 ₡1,080
-69.46%
Eggs
$1.86 ₦2,489
$3.47 ₡1,564
-46.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.11 ₦14.9K
$7.13 ₡3,217
55.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.35 ₦7,167
$10.32 ₡4,655
-48.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.93 ₦7,947
$13.97 ₡6,302
-57.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.08 ₦2,788
$2.29 ₡1,031
-9.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 ₦1,943
$1.62 ₡731
-10.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 ₦1,994
$4.81 ₡2,169
-69.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.28 ₦3,049
$1.68 ₡758
35.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 ₦2,453
$3.91 ₡1,765
-53.20%
Onion (1kg)
$2.47 ₦3,309
$3.63 ₡1,640
-31.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 ₦780
$1.13 ₡509
-48.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₦490
$2.63 ₡1,188
-85.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.97 ₦2,638
$5.02 ₡2,267
-60.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.63 ₦7,540
$19.71 ₡8,893
-71.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 ₦1,652
$2.91 ₡1,314
-57.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 ₦2,511
$3.54 ₡1,597
-47.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Minna
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.21 ₡545
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.8 ₡33.3K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.62 ₦830
$2.15 ₡969
-71.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 ₦1,167
$1.63 ₡738
-46.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 ₦2,466
$8.77 ₡3,958
-79.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.59 ₦785
$1.55 ₡700
-61.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.7K ₦34.5M
$33.9K ₡15.3M
-24.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K ₦49.8M
$38.5K ₡17.4M
-3.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Minna
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$113 ₦151.8K
$95.2 ₡43.0K
18.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.30 ₦8,450
$36.29 ₡16.4K
-82.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.62 ₦38.4K
$52.0 ₡23.5K
-44.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Minna
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$67.6 ₡30.5K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.55 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.23 ₦8,355
$7.54 ₡3,404
-17.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Minna
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$44.43 ₦59.5K
$496 ₡224.0K
-91.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,078 ₦4.1M
$11.8K ₡5.3M
-73.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Minna
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.84 ₦34.6K
$55.1 ₡24.9K
-53.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.9 ₦81.6K
$56.1 ₡25.3K
8.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.7 ₦105.5K
$77.8 ₡35.1K
1.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 ₦141.2K
$79.1 ₡35.7K
33.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Minna
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$817 ₡368.9K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$806 ₡363.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,988 ₡1.8M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,429 ₡644.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,068 ₡3.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,197 ₡540.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Minna
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$888 ₡400.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22.5
8.62
161.02%

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

Last update for Minna: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Minna
$212
Nosara
$351 65.3% $139
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Minna
$148
Nosara
$184 23.8% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Minna
$122
Nosara
$121 1% $1.2
Eating Out
Minna
$81
Nosara
$213 164% $132
Sport & Entertainment
Minna
$12 *
Nosara
$83 563% $70
Getting Around
Minna
$5 *
Nosara
$89 1689% $84
Accommodation & Living
Minna
- *
Nosara
$806

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30 in Minna vs $61 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $351 per month, with Minna cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇬 Minna
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
14:49 2:49 PM
07:49 7:49 AM
7 h behind Minna
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
304,000
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Minna Nosara 10,060 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Minna
  • 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
Minna vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Minna or Nosara?
Minna wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Minna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Minna and in Nosara?
You’d need roughly $871 in Minna and $2,769 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.
Are groceries more expensive in Minna or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Minna compared to Nosara?
All in, you’ll spend $581 per month in Minna versus $1,846 in Nosara – a 218% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $800/month in Minna or in Nosara?
At $581 in Minna versus $1,846 in Nosara, a $800 budget is realistic in Minna but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Minna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Minna or Nosara?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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