Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Abomey-Calavi

For one person, living is cheaper in Abomey-Calavi: $714 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Abomey-Calavi
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Abomey-Calavi Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Abomey-Calavi

🇧🇯 Benin

$714

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Abomey-Calavi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nosara and in Abomey-Calavi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $714 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Abomey-Calavi $714

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,133 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Abomey-Calavi $1,133

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,553 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Abomey-Calavi $1,553

Nosara costs about 157% more than Abomey-Calavi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Abomey-Calavi is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$5.77 F CFA 3,375

111.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$25.69 F CFA 15.0K

134.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$8.11 F CFA 4,745

-7.03%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$4.71 F CFA 2,753

-8.49%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$1.11 F CFA 647

54.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$1.76 F CFA 1,032

-23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$1.76 F CFA 1,031

84.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$5.07 F CFA 2,967

-11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$2.19 F CFA 1,282

-28.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.25 F CFA 145

1168.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$1.96 F CFA 1,148

23.47%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$2.03 F CFA 1,190

75.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$3.42 F CFA 1,999

117.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$3.79 F CFA 2,220

174.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$5.90 F CFA 3,453

131.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$2.21 F CFA 1,296

4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$0.90 F CFA 526

78.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$0.67 F CFA 389

607.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$2.03 F CFA 1,188

-18.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$0.97 F CFA 570

283.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.81 F CFA 475

340.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.68 F CFA 397

61.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.89 F CFA 519

186.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$0.44 F CFA 260

1025.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$10.66 F CFA 6,237

87.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$0.97 F CFA 566

187.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.12 F CFA 654

215.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$7.65 F CFA 4,474

842.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$1.71 F CFA 1,003

30.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$1.75 F CFA 1,025

-11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.21 F CFA 710

29.75%

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)

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$119 F CFA 69.8K

-21.67%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$19.96 F CFA 11.7K

75.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$87.0 F CFA 50.9K

-40.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$34.49 F CFA 20.2K

107.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$5.19 F CFA 3,035

582.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$6.09 F CFA 3,564

28.74%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$17.19 F CFA 10.1K

211.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$8.54 F CFA 4,998

553.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$26.30 F CFA 15.4K

201.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$25.80 F CFA 15.1K

205.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$101 F CFA 58.8K

681.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$73.8 F CFA 43.2K

956.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$221 F CFA 129.2K

1647.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$278 F CFA 162.5K

406.77%

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)

$876 ₡395.0K

$85.1 F CFA 49.8K

930.10%

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 Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Abomey-Calavi

$74 10.3% 90.5% $706

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Abomey-Calavi

$163 22.6% 53.4% $187

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Abomey-Calavi

$157 21.9% 24.9% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Abomey-Calavi

$226 31.4% 25.7% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Abomey-Calavi

$35 4.9% 70.9% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Abomey-Calavi

$47 6.5% 46.4% $40

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Abomey-Calavi

$18 * 2.5% 79.1% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $101 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 930% 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $163 – making Abomey-Calavi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇯 Abomey-Calavi

🕒 Local time

04:45 4:45 AM

11:45 11:45 AM

7 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

650,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Abomey-Calavi 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Abomey-Calavi

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

Nosara vs Abomey-Calavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 157%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,071 in Abomey-Calavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abomey-Calavi, 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 $1,837 in Nosara and $714 in Abomey-Calavi. That's a gap of about 157%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Nosara and $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Abomey-Calavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – 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 Abomey-Calavi. 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.