Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kiambu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kiambu: $498 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 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
24

Cost of Living Index in Kiambu
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Kiambu Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Kiambu

🇰🇪 Kenya

$498

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kiambu

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $498 in Kiambu.

Nosara $1,839
Kiambu $498

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $818 in Kiambu.

Nosara $2,828
Kiambu $818

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,137 in Kiambu.

Nosara $3,818
Kiambu $1,137

Living in Nosara is roughly 269% more expensive than in Kiambu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Kiambu is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$6.17 KES 800

100.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$35.00 KES 4,537

74.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.47 KES 838

16.23%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.67 KES 347

65.17%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.63 KES 81.4

176.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.60 KES 78.1

118.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$2.26 KES 293

45.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.64 KES 342

69.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.54 KES 69.6

188.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$0.55 KES 71.8

449.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.88 KES 243

33.51%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.35 KES 175

164.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$10.52 KES 1,364

-29.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$6.23 KES 807

68.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$3.99 KES 518

250.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.39 KES 440

-30.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.09 KES 141

47.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$0.74 KES 95.8

548.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$0.59 KES 77.0

172.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.70 KES 90.9

442.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.71 KES 92.6

419.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.30 KES 38.34

276.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.41 KES 53.0

548.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.57 KES 463

45.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$11.46 KES 1,486

73.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.20 KES 285

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.68 KES 347

35.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.69 KES 89.1

62.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.57 KES 203

36.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.40 KES 51.9

292.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$2.86 KES 371

197.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.59 KES 206

-4.40%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

0.31%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

72.56%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$55.8 KES 7,240

72.44%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$7.54 KES 978

375.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$34.45 KES 4,467

55.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$5.92 KES 767

33.28%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$249 KES 32.3K

98.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

-3.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$28.53 KES 3,698

89.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$28.62 KES 3,710

93.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$70.2 KES 9,097

11.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$57.7 KES 7,478

38.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$114 KES 14.8K

590.27%

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

$1,160 KES 150.4K

495.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$124 KES 16.1K

593.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

14.71

-41.40%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Kiambu

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Kiambu

$177 35.5% 49.8% $175

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Kiambu

$122 24.6% 42.2% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Kiambu

$98 19.6% 47.3% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Kiambu

$83 16.7% 30.7% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kiambu

$12 * 2.4% 86.4% $76

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Kiambu

$6.3 * 1.3% 92.7% $81

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $114 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 594% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $35.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $177 per month, with Kiambu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇪 Kiambu

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

15:23 3:23 PM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

147,870

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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 Kiambu 13,580 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kiambu

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 Kiambu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 269% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 594% higher in Nosara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $114 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $249 in Kiambu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $498 in Kiambu versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu 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 Kiambu 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 Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 269% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.