Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mwanza and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $187 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $19,800 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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Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$187

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $187 per month in Mwanza vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Mwanza $187
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $294 per month in Mwanza vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Mwanza $294
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $401 per month in Mwanza vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Mwanza $401
Nosara $3,818

Mwanza is about 90% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mwanza sits 86% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.48 TZS 6,494

$12.35 ₡5,539

-79.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.34 TZS 40.2K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-74.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 TZS 12.1K

$7.52 ₡3,373

-38.43%

Cappuccino

$2.58 TZS 6,764

$4.41 ₡1,978

-41.50%

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

$1.74 ₡780

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TZS 764

$1.31 ₡587

-77.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 TZS 2,529

$3.28 ₡1,471

-70.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 TZS 3,558

$4.47 ₡2,004

-69.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 TZS 2,417

$1.56 ₡701

-41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 TZS 4,029

$3.02 ₡1,355

-49.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,447

$2.51 ₡1,125

-62.95%

Eggs

$2.05 TZS 5,361

$3.57 ₡1,603

-42.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,620

$3.80 ₡1,703

-73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 TZS 3,534

$3.69 ₡1,657

-63.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 958

$2.66 ₡1,191

-86.09%

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)

$1.12 ₡504

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)

$1.46 TZS 3,823

$1.52 ₡682

-3.95%

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)

$66.8 TZS 174.9K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-30.65%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

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)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

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)

$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)

$192 TZS 502.1K

$864 ₡387.3K

-77.80%

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 Mwanza: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mwanza

–

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Groceries & Markets

Mwanza

–

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Eating Out

Mwanza

–

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mwanza

–

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Mwanza

–

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Mwanza

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Mwanza

–

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 350% 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 $15.00 in Mwanza versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $47.00 vs $352 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

11:16 11:16 AM

02:16 2:16 AM

9 h behind Mwanza

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,104,521

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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,944 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 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 TZS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mwanza Nosara 13,180 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Mwanza
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

Mwanza vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 884%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $280 per month in Mwanza and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 655% 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 $15.00 in Mwanza and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mwanza, where all-in costs run around $187, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Mwanza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mwanza – 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 Mwanza. 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.