Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Onitsha and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.68 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 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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Onitsha

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$0.68

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Onitsha and in Nosara

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

A single person spends $0.68 per month in Onitsha vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

Onitsha $0.68
Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $1.19 per month in Onitsha vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

Onitsha $1.19
Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $1.70 per month in Onitsha vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

Onitsha $1.70
Nosara $3,814

Onitsha is about 100% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Onitsha sits 100% below the global median, while Nosara is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

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

$1.79 ₡803

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₦227

$1.22 ₡549

-86.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

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

$490 ₡219.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

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 Onitsha: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Onitsha

–

Nosara

$790 43%

Groceries & Markets

Onitsha

–

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Eating Out

Onitsha

–

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Onitsha

–

Nosara

$184 10%

Clothing & Footwear

Onitsha

–

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Onitsha

–

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Getting Around

Onitsha

–

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Good to know

🇳🇬 Onitsha

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

22:57 10:57 PM

15:57 3:57 PM

7 h behind Onitsha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,080,000

4,912

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Onitsha Nosara 10,160 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Onitsha
Nosara

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

Onitsha vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $0.68 in Onitsha, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 269797% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1.02 per month in Onitsha and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Onitsha, where all-in costs run around $0.68, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Onitsha 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 $0.68 in Onitsha to $1,835 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 Onitsha. 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.