Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cam Ranh and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Cam Ranh: $729 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cam Ranh
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$729
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $729 in Cam Ranh versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Cam Ranh $729
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,183 in Cam Ranh versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Cam Ranh $1,183
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,638 in Cam Ranh versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Cam Ranh $1,638
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Cam Ranh costs roughly 60% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cam Ranh is 46% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.60 ₫67.2K
$12.22 ₡5,509
-78.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.04 ₫596.3K
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-61.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.56 ₫117.9K
$7.54 ₡3,399
-39.52%
Cappuccino
$1.63 ₫42.2K
$4.31 ₡1,941
-62.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₫9,537
$1.72 ₡773
-78.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 ₫5,959
$1.35 ₡608
-82.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.60 ₫15.6K
$3.24 ₡1,459
-81.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 ₫31.5K
$4.48 ₡2,018
-72.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 ₫37.9K
$1.57 ₡707
-6.37%
White Bread (500g)
$0.47 ₫12.2K
$3.17 ₡1,429
-85.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 ₫25.7K
$2.42 ₡1,091
-59.09%
Eggs
$1.37 ₫35.4K
$3.57 ₡1,609
-61.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.00 ₫310.6K
$7.43 ₡3,349
61.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.11 ₫80.6K
$10.42 ₡4,697
-70.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.25 ₫291.2K
$13.66 ₡6,156
-17.64%
Apples (1kg)
$1.96 ₫50.8K
$2.32 ₡1,044
-15.52%
Banana (1kg)
$0.79 ₫20.6K
$1.61 ₡728
-50.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.08 ₫27.8K
$4.74 ₡2,138
-77.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.23 ₫31.9K
$1.66 ₡747
-25.90%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 ₫19.8K
$3.72 ₡1,679
-79.57%
Onion (1kg)
$0.66 ₫17.1K
$3.57 ₡1,611
-81.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.80 ₫20.7K
$1.10 ₡497
-27.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 ₫10.8K
$2.55 ₡1,149
-83.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.57 ₫40.7K
$4.95 ₡2,232
-68.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.61 ₫300.4K
$20.01 ₡9,020
-41.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₫14.8K
$2.79 ₡1,256
-79.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 ₫45.6K
$3.53 ₡1,589
-50.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 ₫9,174
$1.19 ₡537
-70.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.12 ₫184.2K
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-90.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.60 ₫15.5K
$2.24 ₡1,011
-73.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₫15.6K
$1.55 ₡701
-61.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.60 ₫67.2K
$8.86 ₡3,993
-70.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 ₫23.5K
$1.57 ₡708
-42.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0K ₫803.1M
$21.8K ₡9.8M
42.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K ₫725.4M
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-19.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.2 ₫2.0M
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-18.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.33 ₫163.7K
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-81.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.39 ₫243.0K
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-81.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.98 ₫620.6K
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-66.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.11 ₫209.9K
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-77.12%
Cinema Ticket
$1.95 ₫50.5K
$7.84 ₡3,535
-75.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$211 ₫5.5M
$490 ₡220.7K
-56.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,897 ₫100.9M
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-67.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.35 ₫1.1M
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-22.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.91 ₫644.6K
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-55.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$48.57 ₫1.3M
$79.3 ₡35.7K
-38.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.3 ₫2.2M
$78.9 ₡35.6K
9.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$393 ₫10.2M
$786 ₡354.3K
-49.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$250 ₫6.5M
$780 ₡351.6K
-67.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$808 ₫20.9M
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-79.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$566 ₫14.6M
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-59.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,163 ₫81.8M
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-54.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,436 ₫37.2M
$1,201 ₡541.3K
19.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cam Ranh
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$876 ₡395.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.46
8.62
-1.86%

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

Last update for Cam Ranh: 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
Cam Ranh
$250
Nosara
$780 212% $530
Groceries & Markets
Cam Ranh
$181
Nosara
$350 93.5% $169
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cam Ranh
$92
Nosara
$180 95.9% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Cam Ranh
$91
Nosara
$120 33% $30
Eating Out
Cam Ranh
$62
Nosara
$209 239% $148
Sport & Entertainment
Cam Ranh
$28
Nosara
$87 212% $59
Getting Around
Cam Ranh
$12
Nosara
$87 615% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Cam Ranh and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Cam Ranh vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $350 per month, with Cam Ranh cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Cam Ranh
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
11:18 11:18 AM
22:18 10:18 PM
13 h behind Cam Ranh
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
220,630
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 25,879 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,003 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cam Ranh Nosara 17,080 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cam Ranh
  • 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
Cam Ranh vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cam Ranh or Nosara?
Cam Ranh wins on cost – living expenses run 152% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cam Ranh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cam Ranh and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $1,093 in Cam Ranh and $2,756 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cam Ranh compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $393 in Cam Ranh versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Cam Ranh compared to Nosara?
All in, you'll spend $729 per month in Cam Ranh versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Cam Ranh compared to Nosara?
A monthly transit pass in Cam Ranh runs roughly 912% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cam Ranh or in Nosara?
At $729 in Cam Ranh versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cam Ranh but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Cam Ranh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cam Ranh or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cam Ranh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $729 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cam Ranh hard to pass up.
How safe is Cam Ranh compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Cam Ranh 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cam Ranh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Cam Ranh vs other spots: cost of living compared

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