Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Elizabeth: $1,233 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Port Elizabeth
Learn more

Port Elizabeth Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Port Elizabeth

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,233

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,233 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Port Elizabeth $1,233
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,847 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Port Elizabeth $1,847
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $2,461 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Port Elizabeth $2,461
Nosara $3,712

Port Elizabeth is about 33% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Port Elizabeth sits 8% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 R 175

$12.22 ₡5,509

-13.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.87 R 707

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-28.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 99.3

$7.54 ₡3,399

-20.16%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 35.03

$4.31 ₡1,941

-50.81%

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

$1.04 R 17.24

$1.72 ₡773

-39.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 R 11.93

$1.35 ₡608

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 R 45.50

$3.24 ₡1,459

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 R 50.5

$4.48 ₡2,018

-31.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R 18.74

$1.57 ₡707

-27.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 17.10

$3.17 ₡1,429

-67.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.78

$2.42 ₡1,091

-40.50%

Eggs

$2.81 R 46.33

$3.57 ₡1,609

-21.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R 142

$7.43 ₡3,349

15.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 R 90.2

$10.42 ₡4,697

-47.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 R 137

$13.66 ₡6,156

-39.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 R 34.80

$2.32 ₡1,044

-9.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.46

$1.61 ₡728

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.56

$4.74 ₡2,138

-66.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R 29.43

$1.66 ₡747

7.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.56

$3.72 ₡1,679

-53.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.46

$3.57 ₡1,611

-60.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 R 21.27

$1.10 ₡497

17.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.70

$2.55 ₡1,149

-60.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 51.6

$4.95 ₡2,232

-36.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.82 R 79.6

$20.01 ₡9,020

-75.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 20.63

$2.79 ₡1,256

-55.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 R 30.06

$3.53 ₡1,589

-48.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R 17.96

$1.19 ₡537

-8.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.08 R 595

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-49.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 R 35.03

$2.24 ₡1,011

-5.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R 8.20

$1.55 ₡701

-67.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 R 139

$8.86 ₡3,993

-4.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 R 23.86

$1.57 ₡708

-7.64%

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

$35.4K R 584.3K

$21.8K ₡9.8M

62.42%

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

$34.0K R 561.2K

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-1.80%

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

$123 R 2,024

$93.5 ₡42.1K

31.28%

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

$35.08 R 579

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.22 R 746

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-12.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.88 R 526

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-55.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.73 R 375

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-35.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 R 175

$7.84 ₡3,535

35.33%

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

$176 R 2,902

$490 ₡220.7K

-64.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,192 R 102.2K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-47.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 R 1,164

$53.5 ₡24.1K

31.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.27 R 631

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-31.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 R 1,807

$79.3 ₡35.7K

38.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 R 1,593

$78.9 ₡35.6K

22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 R 10.1K

$786 ₡354.3K

-22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,891

$780 ₡351.6K

-46.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 R 13.3K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-79.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 R 11.4K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-51.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$750 R 12.4K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-89.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$531 R 8,754

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-55.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,612 R 26.6K

$876 ₡395.0K

83.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

8.62

38.52%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Port Elizabeth

$418 34.4%

Nosara

$780 43% 86.7% $362

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Elizabeth

$203 16.7%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 11.3% $23

Groceries & Markets

Port Elizabeth

$197 16.2%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 77.7% $153

Eating Out

Port Elizabeth

$155 12.8%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 34.7% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Port Elizabeth

$142 11.7%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 15.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Port Elizabeth

$53 4.4%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 64% $34

Getting Around

Port Elizabeth

$45 3.7%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 92.8% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $612 in Port Elizabeth versus $786 in Nosara. 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 84% higher in Port Elizabeth, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $350 – making Port Elizabeth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇦 Port Elizabeth

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

14:37 2:37 PM

06:37 6:37 AM

8 h behind Port Elizabeth

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,050,000

4,912

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.06 USD

100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.49 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

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).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Port Elizabeth Nosara 12,580 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Port Elizabeth
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

Port Elizabeth vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,233 in Port Elizabeth, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,849 per month in Port Elizabeth and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 100% less in Port Elizabeth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Port Elizabeth and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Port Elizabeth 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 $1,233 in Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.