Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bungoma

For one person, living is cheaper in Bungoma: $141 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 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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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Bungoma

🇰🇪 Kenya

$141

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bungoma

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 Bungoma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $141 in Bungoma.

Nosara $1,839
Bungoma $141

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $286 in Bungoma.

Nosara $2,828
Bungoma $286

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $431 in Bungoma.

Nosara $3,818
Bungoma $431

Living in Nosara is roughly 1202% more expensive than in Bungoma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Bungoma is 90% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

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

$5.40 KES 700

-18.33%

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

$1.51 KES 195

117.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$1.67 KES 216

167.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.21 KES 157

195.04%

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

$3.02 KES 392

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$0.95 KES 123

69.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

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

$1.51 KES 196

92.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.72 KES 222

111.05%

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)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.38 KES 179

10.14%

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)

$96.3 ₡43.2K

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$28.90 KES 3,747

85.43%

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

$168 KES 21.8K

742.66%

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)

$864 ₡387.3K

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 11, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Bungoma

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Bungoma

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Bungoma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Bungoma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Bungoma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bungoma

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Bungoma

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇪 Bungoma

🕒 Local time

02:45 2:45 AM

11:45 11:45 AM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

60,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Bungoma 13,300 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Bungoma

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 Bungoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 1202% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,758 in Nosara and $212 in Bungoma 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 861% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $141 in Bungoma – a 1202% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $141 in Bungoma versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bungoma but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Bungoma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bungoma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Bungoma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bungoma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1202% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.