Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anshan and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Anshan: $630 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Anshan
🇨🇳 China
$630
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $630 in Anshan versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Anshan $630
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,018 in Anshan versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Anshan $1,018
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,406 in Anshan versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Anshan $1,406
  • Nosara $3,818

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Anshan is 53% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.08 ¥20.59
$12.35 ₡5,539
-75.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.82 ¥126
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-69.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.36 ¥29.16
$7.52 ₡3,373
-42.02%
Cappuccino
$2.49 ¥16.65
$4.41 ₡1,978
-43.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ¥2.58
$1.74 ₡780
-77.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 ¥1.54
$1.31 ₡587
-82.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.78 ¥5.25
$3.28 ₡1,471
-76.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ¥11.09
$4.47 ₡2,004
-62.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.77 ¥11.83
$1.56 ₡701
13.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 ¥8.64
$3.02 ₡1,355
-57.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.35 ¥2.37
$2.51 ₡1,125
-86.06%
Eggs
$1.06 ¥7.12
$3.57 ₡1,603
-70.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.74 ¥58.4
$7.43 ₡3,333
17.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$1.77 ¥11.82
$10.52 ₡4,717
-83.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ¥60.9
$13.97 ₡6,265
-34.79%
Apples (1kg)
$1.06 ¥7.11
$2.35 ₡1,052
-54.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.17 ¥7.82
$1.61 ₡720
-27.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.18 ¥7.88
$4.80 ₡2,152
-75.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.17 ¥7.81
$1.61 ₡724
-27.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.31 ¥2.09
$3.80 ₡1,703
-91.84%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 ¥5.95
$3.69 ₡1,657
-75.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.29 ¥1.94
$1.13 ₡507
-74.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 ¥2.89
$2.66 ₡1,191
-83.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.66 ¥24.45
$5.18 ₡2,321
-29.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.66 ¥51.2
$19.88 ₡8,916
-61.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ¥5.14
$2.90 ₡1,300
-73.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 ¥7.38
$3.63 ₡1,626
-69.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.94
$1.12 ₡504
-74.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.75 ¥119
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-75.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.07 ¥7.13
$2.14 ₡958
-50.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.16 ¥1.06
$1.57 ₡703
-89.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 ¥19.53
$8.52 ₡3,823
-65.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ¥7.07
$1.52 ₡682
-30.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K ¥130.6K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-9.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.2K ¥101.9K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-55.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$29.30 ¥196
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-69.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.25 ¥48.47
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-79.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.66 ¥98.0
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-72.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.00 ¥281
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-41.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.17 ¥101
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-56.55%
Cinema Ticket
$5.91 ¥39.53
$7.89 ₡3,539
-25.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$221 ¥1,478
$494 ₡221.6K
-55.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.7K ¥144.9K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
82.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.91 ¥253
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-29.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.24 ¥222
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-40.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.1 ¥402
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-22.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.2 ¥470
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-11.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$298 ¥1,996
$788 ₡353.4K
-62.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$184 ¥1,229
$794 ₡356.2K
-76.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ¥4,187
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-84.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$380 ¥2,540
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-73.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,597 ¥24.0K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-47.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,957 ¥13.1K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
59.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Anshan
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$960 ¥6,418
$864 ₡387.3K
11.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2
8.62
-76.80%

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

Last update for Anshan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Anshan
$184
Nosara
$794 332% $611
Groceries & Markets
Anshan
$152
Nosara
$352 132% $200
Clothing & Footwear
Anshan
$91
Nosara
$120 32.4% $29
Eating Out
Anshan
$77
Nosara
$212 174% $135
Sport & Entertainment
Anshan
$54
Nosara
$87 62.3% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Anshan
$51
Nosara
$186 263% $135
Getting Around
Anshan
$21
Nosara
$87 319% $66

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $298 in Anshan and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anshan pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Anshan vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $352 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Anshan
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
00:42 12:42 AM
10:42 10:42 AM
14 h behind Anshan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,543,696
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Anshan Nosara 13,620 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Anshan
  • 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
Anshan vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nosara cheaper than Anshan?
Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Anshan or Nosara?
Average pay runs 11% higher in Anshan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Anshan and Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $298 in Anshan versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Anshan or in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Anshan and in Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $630 per month in Anshan versus $1,839 in Nosara – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Anshan or in Nosara?
At $630 in Anshan versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Anshan or Nosara more family-friendly?
For families, Anshan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Anshan or Nosara?
Safety-wise, Anshan 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 192% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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