Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Douala

For one person, living is cheaper in Douala: $1,329 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Douala
Learn more

Douala Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Douala

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$1,329

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Douala

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $1,329 in Douala, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Douala $1,329

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $2,133 in Douala, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Douala $2,133

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $2,937 in Douala, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Douala $2,937

Nosara costs about 38% more than Douala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Douala is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$4.41 FCFA 2,579

177.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$121 FCFA 70.8K

-50.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$6.92 FCFA 4,052

8.96%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$2.10 FCFA 1,228

105.24%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$1.60 FCFA 937

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.78 FCFA 458

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$1.21 FCFA 710

167.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$2.51 FCFA 1,469

78.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$2.76 FCFA 1,618

-43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.44 FCFA 258

620.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$2.27 FCFA 1,330

6.61%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.93 FCFA 1,128

84.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$21.83 FCFA 12.8K

-65.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$7.91 FCFA 4,629

31.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$6.23 FCFA 3,643

119.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$4.78 FCFA 2,798

-51.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$2.11 FCFA 1,233

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.07 FCFA 1,210

128.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$1.37 FCFA 804

21.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$3.33 FCFA 1,950

11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$2.19 FCFA 1,280

63.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.75 FCFA 441

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.67 FCFA 391

280.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$2.61 FCFA 1,526

89.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$8.77 FCFA 5,133

128.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.47 FCFA 858

89.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.81 FCFA 1,058

95.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.61 FCFA 358

95.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$17.37 FCFA 10.2K

314.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$0.58 FCFA 340

286.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$0.85 FCFA 497

82.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$8.14 FCFA 4,763

8.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.47 FCFA 862

6.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$30.5K FCFA 17.8M

-28.52%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$15.2K FCFA 8.9M

127.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$163 FCFA 95.1K

-42.50%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$25.53 FCFA 14.9K

37.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$175 FCFA 102.6K

-70.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$41.22 FCFA 24.1K

73.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$8.38 FCFA 4,904

-6.44%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$507 FCFA 296.9K

-3.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$3,426 FCFA 2.0M

246.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$78.6 FCFA 46.0K

-31.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$65.9 FCFA 38.5K

-15.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$138 FCFA 80.6K

-42.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$148 FCFA 86.4K

-46.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$553 FCFA 323.5K

42.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$318 FCFA 186.1K

145.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$1,346 FCFA 787.5K

186.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$548 FCFA 320.8K

156.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$1,989 FCFA 1.2M

250.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$971 FCFA 568.1K

23.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$225 FCFA 131.5K

289.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

19.04

-54.73%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Douala: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Douala

$318 23.8% 59.2% $462

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Douala

$278 20.8% 20.4% $71

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Douala

$102 7.6% 51.4% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Douala

$363 27.2% 102% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Douala

$193 14.5% 60.8% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Douala

$58 4.3% 33.4% $29

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Douala

$25 1.8% 71.6% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $553 in Douala. 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 290% 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 $121 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Nosara vs $278 in Douala – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇲 Douala

🕒 Local time

04:24 4:24 AM

11:24 11:24 AM

7 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, 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).

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

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Douala 10,510 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Douala

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 Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,993 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douala, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $60.0 in Nosara and $121 in Douala. 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 Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,329, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douala – 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 Douala. 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.