Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tripoli and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Tripoli: $537 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tripoli
🇱🇾 Libya
$537
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $537 per month in Tripoli vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Tripoli $537
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $822 per month in Tripoli vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Tripoli $822
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,108 per month in Tripoli vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Tripoli $1,108
  • Nosara $3,712

Tripoli is about 71% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tripoli sits 60% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.98 LYD 25.47
$12.22 ₡5,509
-67.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.24 LYD 97.5
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-74.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.58 LYD 16.53
$7.54 ₡3,399
-65.78%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.60 LYD 3.81
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 LYD 4.30
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.45 LYD 2.86
$4.31 ₡1,941
-89.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 LYD 2.73
$1.72 ₡773
-75.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11 LYD 0.70
$1.35 ₡608
-91.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.24 ₡1,459
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.48 ₡2,018
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 LYD 5.77
$1.57 ₡707
-42.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.20 LYD 1.28
$3.17 ₡1,429
-93.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 LYD 7.54
$2.42 ₡1,091
-51.24%
Eggs
$1.36 LYD 8.72
$3.57 ₡1,609
-61.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.24 LYD 33.54
$7.43 ₡3,349
-29.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.47 LYD 22.21
$10.42 ₡4,697
-66.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.25 LYD 59.2
$13.66 ₡6,156
-32.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 LYD 14.46
$2.32 ₡1,044
-2.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 LYD 9.35
$1.61 ₡728
-9.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.68 LYD 4.36
$4.74 ₡2,138
-85.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.60 LYD 3.81
$1.66 ₡747
-63.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 LYD 4.86
$3.72 ₡1,679
-79.57%
Onion (1kg)
$0.50 LYD 3.20
$3.57 ₡1,611
-85.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 LYD 2.75
$1.10 ₡497
-60.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21 LYD 1.31
$2.55 ₡1,149
-91.76%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.76 LYD 11.29
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 LYD 6.06
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 LYD 5.30
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96 LYD 12.57
$4.95 ₡2,232
-60.40%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$20.01 ₡9,020
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.79 ₡1,256
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.53 ₡1,589
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 LYD 1.89
$1.19 ₡537
-74.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 LYD 5.19
$2.24 ₡1,011
-63.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.49 LYD 3.12
$1.55 ₡701
-68.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.86 ₡3,993
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.02 LYD 0.11
$1.57 ₡708
-98.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.4K LYD 150.0K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
7.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K LYD 135.9K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-38.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.3 LYD 597
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-0.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.11 LYD 39.10
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-82.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.55 LYD 170
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-48.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.99 LYD 160
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-65.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.30 LYD 14.70
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-93.51%
Cinema Ticket
-
$7.84 ₡3,535
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$52.3 LYD 335
$490 ₡220.7K
-89.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,579 LYD 10.1K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-86.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.63 LYD 145
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-57.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.54 LYD 112
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-68.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.4 LYD 406
$79.3 ₡35.7K
-19.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.3 LYD 424
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-15.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$356 LYD 2,280
$786 ₡354.3K
-54.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$146 LYD 934
$780 ₡351.6K
-81.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$596 LYD 3,815
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-84.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$257 LYD 1,644
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-81.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tripoli
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$257 LYD 1,645
$876 ₡395.0K
-70.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
8.62
-

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

Last update for Tripoli: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tripoli
$146
Nosara
$780 435% $634
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tripoli
$126
Nosara
$180 42.9% $54
Groceries & Markets
Tripoli
$115
Nosara
$350 203% $234
Clothing & Footwear
Tripoli
$76
Nosara
$120 57.5% $44
Eating Out
Tripoli
$47
Nosara
$209 345% $162
Sport & Entertainment
Tripoli
$25 *
Nosara
$87 249% $62
Getting Around
Tripoli
$4.4 *
Nosara
$87 1861% $82

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Tripoli 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 241% 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 $15.00 in Tripoli versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $350 – making Tripoli the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇾 Tripoli
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
07:48 7:48 AM
23:48 11:48 PM
8 h behind Tripoli
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,127,000 Capital
4,912
💱 Currency
Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to LYD – Libyan Dinar Converter

Libyan Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.4 LYD (1 LYD = 0.156 USD). 1 EUR = 7.18 LYD (1 LYD = 0.139 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tripoli Nosara 10,220 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tripoli
  • 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
Tripoli vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tripoli and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $537 in Tripoli, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 242% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Tripoli compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in Tripoli and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tripoli and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tripoli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Tripoli and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 203% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tripoli, where all-in costs run around $537, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Tripoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tripoli and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $537 in Tripoli to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tripoli or Nosara safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Tripoli and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Tripoli. 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.

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