Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimba and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Zimba: $133 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Zimba

🇿🇲 Zambia

$133

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $133 per month in Zimba vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Zimba $133
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $207 per month in Zimba vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Zimba $207
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $280 per month in Zimba vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Zimba $280
Nosara $3,712

Zimba is about 93% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Zimba sits 90% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.08 ZMW 61.0

$7.54 ₡3,399

-59.15%

Cappuccino

$1.48 ZMW 29.44

$4.31 ₡1,941

-65.66%

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

$0.73 ZMW 14.50

$1.72 ₡773

-57.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 7.14

$1.35 ₡608

-73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 ZMW 14.81

$3.24 ₡1,459

-76.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZMW 20.57

$4.48 ₡2,018

-76.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZMW 20.26

$3.17 ₡1,429

-67.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ZMW 30.50

$2.42 ₡1,091

-36.36%

Eggs

$1.29 ZMW 25.64

$3.57 ₡1,609

-63.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.57 ZMW 70.7

$13.66 ₡6,156

-73.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 35.74

$2.32 ₡1,044

-22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ZMW 30.93

$1.61 ₡728

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 ZMW 61.6

$4.74 ₡2,138

-34.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 ZMW 15.59

$1.66 ₡747

-52.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ZMW 15.70

$3.57 ₡1,611

-77.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ZMW 16.29

$1.10 ₡497

-25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ZMW 9.69

$2.55 ₡1,149

-80.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 ZMW 123

$20.01 ₡9,020

-68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZMW 15.76

$2.79 ₡1,256

-71.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZMW 20.57

$3.53 ₡1,589

-70.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

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

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

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

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

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 Zimba: 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

Zimba

–

Nosara

$780 43%

Groceries & Markets

Zimba

–

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Eating Out

Zimba

–

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zimba

–

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Zimba

–

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Zimba

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Getting Around

Zimba

–

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Good to know

🇿🇲 Zimba

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

08:46 8:46 AM

00:46 12:46 AM

8 h behind Zimba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.04 USD

100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZK)

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 19.83 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.04 USD). 1 EUR = 22.24 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.5 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).

USD to ZMW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Zimba Nosara 12,640 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Zimba
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

Zimba vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $133 in Zimba, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 1277% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $200 per month in Zimba and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $133 in Zimba and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 1277%.

Groceries cost about 263% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zimba, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Zimba 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 $133 in Zimba 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 Zimba. 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.