Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moshi and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Moshi: $246 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Moshi

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$246

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $246 per month in Moshi vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Moshi $246
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $427 per month in Moshi vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Moshi $427
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $608 per month in Moshi vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Moshi $608
Nosara $3,818

Moshi is about 87% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Moshi sits 82% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 TZS 7,811

$12.35 ₡5,539

-75.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

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

$1.74 ₡780

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 TZS 1,456

$1.56 ₡701

-64.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 TZS 2,054

$3.02 ₡1,355

-74.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 TZS 3,540

$2.51 ₡1,125

-46.22%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

$7.43 ₡3,333

13.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 TZS 10.0K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-63.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.01 TZS 7,894

$13.97 ₡6,265

-78.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

Banana (1kg)

$0.40 TZS 1,043

$1.61 ₡720

-75.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 TZS 4,067

$4.80 ₡2,152

-67.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,905

$1.61 ₡724

-54.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,070

$3.80 ₡1,703

-79.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 TZS 950

$2.66 ₡1,191

-86.47%

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)

$0.74 TZS 1,933

$1.12 ₡504

-33.93%

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)

$1.23 TZS 3,224

$1.52 ₡682

-19.08%

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)

$115 TZS 302.1K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

19.77%

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

$3.69 TZS 9,668

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-89.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

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)

$19.09 TZS 50.0K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-64.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

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)

$191 TZS 499.1K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-86.57%

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)

$94.6 TZS 247.6K

$864 ₡387.3K

-89.05%

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 Moshi: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moshi

–

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Groceries & Markets

Moshi

–

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Eating Out

Moshi

–

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moshi

–

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Moshi

–

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Moshi

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Moshi

–

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 813% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Moshi

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

15:39 3:39 PM

06:39 6:39 AM

9 h behind Moshi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

221,733

4,912

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,945 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 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 TZS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Moshi Nosara 13,680 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Moshi
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

Moshi vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 648%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $369 per month in Moshi and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $246 in Moshi and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 648%.

Groceries cost about 286% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moshi, where all-in costs run around $246, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Moshi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Moshi – 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 Moshi. 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.