Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambon: $625 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Ambon
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Ambon Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Ambon

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$625

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $625 in Ambon versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Ambon $625
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $997 in Ambon versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Ambon $997
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Ambon versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Ambon $1,368
Nosara $3,712

Living in Ambon costs roughly 66% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ambon is 53% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

$12.22 ₡5,509

-91.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.77 Rp 246.4K

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-77.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 Rp 68.4K

$7.54 ₡3,399

-49.34%

Cappuccino

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$4.31 ₡1,941

-65.89%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,718

$1.72 ₡773

-75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,160

$1.35 ₡608

-78.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

$3.24 ₡1,459

-29.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

$4.48 ₡2,018

-22.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.57 ₡707

-31.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$3.17 ₡1,429

-68.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$2.42 ₡1,091

-66.94%

Eggs

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$3.57 ₡1,609

-61.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 Rp 131.2K

$7.43 ₡3,349

-1.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.4K

$10.42 ₡4,697

-71.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 Rp 138.1K

$13.66 ₡6,156

-43.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

$2.32 ₡1,044

-3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$1.61 ₡728

-19.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.3K

$4.74 ₡2,138

-64.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

$1.66 ₡747

-23.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$3.72 ₡1,679

-65.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.7K

$3.57 ₡1,611

-44.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.10 ₡497

-33.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,718

$2.55 ₡1,149

-83.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 40.9K

$4.95 ₡2,232

-53.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.10 Rp 377.4K

$20.01 ₡9,020

5.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.79 ₡1,256

-35.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.5K

$3.53 ₡1,589

-13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,723

$1.19 ₡537

-78.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.64 Rp 297.7K

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-76.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,380

$2.24 ₡1,011

-76.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,408

$1.55 ₡701

-76.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 Rp 48.1K

$8.86 ₡3,993

-69.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$1.57 ₡708

-48.41%

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

$21.1K Rp 377.6M

$21.8K ₡9.8M

-3.20%

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

$27.3K Rp 487.5M

$34.6K ₡15.6M

-21.32%

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

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-38.47%

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

$5.48 Rp 98.0K

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-84.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 Rp 337.7K

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-63.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.58 Rp 332.3K

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-73.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 Rp 137.6K

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-78.30%

Cinema Ticket

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$7.84 ₡3,535

-82.53%

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

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$490 ₡220.7K

-80.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,994 Rp 125.1M

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-41.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.94 Rp 768.1K

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-19.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.09 Rp 574.1K

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-42.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-7.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-9.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 Rp 3.7M

$786 ₡354.3K

-73.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 Rp 2.3M

$780 ₡351.6K

-83.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 Rp 8.5M

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-87.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 Rp 7.2M

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-71.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,004 Rp 18.0M

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-85.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$915 Rp 16.4M

$1,201 ₡541.3K

-23.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$125 Rp 2.2M

$876 ₡395.0K

-85.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

8.62

9.74%

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

Last update for Ambon: October 6, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ambon

$194 32.3%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 79.8% $155

Accommodation & Living

Ambon

$127 21.1%

Nosara

$780 43% 515% $653

Clothing & Footwear

Ambon

$99 16.4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 21.7% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ambon

$82 13.6%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 120% $98

Eating Out

Ambon

$59 9.8%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 254% $150

Sport & Entertainment

Ambon

$21 3.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 309% $66

Getting Around

Ambon

$20 3.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 334% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Ambon and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 602% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Ambon vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $350 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ambon

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

20:16 8:16 PM

05:16 5:16 AM

15 h behind Ambon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

275,888

4,912

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,890 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,047 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 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 IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ambon Nosara 16,220 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Ambon
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

Ambon vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 194% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 602% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Ambon versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $625 per month in Ambon versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 194% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 333% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $625 in Ambon versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $625 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.