Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kilifi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kilifi: $647 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 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

$1,837

/mo nomad

Kilifi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$647

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kilifi

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $647 in Kilifi, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Kilifi $647

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,054 in Kilifi, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Kilifi $1,054

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,461 in Kilifi, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Kilifi $1,461

Nosara costs about 184% more than Kilifi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Kilifi is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$1.91 KES 247

539.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$50.5 KES 6,543

19.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$2.24 KES 291

236.61%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$1.89 KES 246

128.04%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.80 KES 104

115.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.74 KES 96.4

82.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$1.58 KES 205

105.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.04 KES 135

50.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.88 KES 115

260.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$1.99 KES 258

21.61%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.98 KES 257

80.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$7.64 KES 991

78.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$2.35 KES 304

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$0.68 KES 87.6

136.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$1.73 KES 225

173.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$0.45 KES 58.1

268.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$0.76 KES 98.3

389.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$0.73 KES 95.3

389.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.24 KES 31.22

962.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$12.47 KES 1,618

60.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.71 KES 222

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.80 KES 104

48.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$27.29 KES 3,540

164.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.32 KES 171

18.94%

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

$15.59 KES 2,022

499.42%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$10.34 KES 1,341

239.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$25.07 KES 3,251

105.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$27.64 KES 3,584

158.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$7.63 KES 989

2.75%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$164 KES 21.3K

197.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$4,927 KES 639.0K

141.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$9.82 KES 1,273

445.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$8.62 KES 1,118

546.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$15.27 KES 1,981

418.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$17.15 KES 2,225

359.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$322 KES 41.7K

144.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$304 KES 39.4K

156.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$271 KES 35.2K

1322.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$553 KES 71.7K

154.46%

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

$228 KES 29.6K

284.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

7.75%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Kilifi

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Kilifi

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Kilifi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Kilifi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Kilifi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kilifi

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kilifi

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $322 in Kilifi. 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 284% 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 $50.0 in Kilifi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $123 – making Kilifi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇪 Kilifi

🕒 Local time

05:19 5:19 AM

14:19 2:19 PM

9 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

122,899

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.88 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.88 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Kilifi 13,960 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kilifi

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 Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $647 in Kilifi – roughly 184% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $971 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $164 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 184% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kilifi, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Kilifi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $647 in Kilifi to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kilifi. 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.