Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chungju and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Chungju: $1,450 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

71

Cost of Living Index in Chungju
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Chungju Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Chungju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,450

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Chungju vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Chungju $1,450
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,285 per month in Chungju vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Chungju $2,285
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Chungju vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Chungju $3,121
Nosara $3,818

Chungju is about 21% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chungju and Nosara sit above the global median – Chungju by 7%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 ₩9,829

$12.35 ₡5,539

-40.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.62 ₩63.3K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-22.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 ₩8,761

$7.52 ₡3,373

-12.37%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₩4,915

$4.41 ₡1,978

-16.10%

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

$1.81 ₩2,401

$1.74 ₡780

4.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₩1,870

$1.31 ₡587

7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.82 ₩5,074

$3.28 ₡1,471

16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₩5,797

$4.47 ₡2,004

-2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 ₩3,036

$1.56 ₡701

46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 ₩4,007

$3.02 ₡1,355

-0.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 ₩4,054

$2.51 ₡1,125

21.51%

Eggs

$2.63 ₩3,498

$3.57 ₡1,603

-26.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 ₩14.9K

$7.43 ₡3,333

50.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 ₩10.2K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-27.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.54 ₩32.6K

$13.97 ₡6,265

75.66%

Apples (1kg)

$8.71 ₩11.6K

$2.35 ₡1,052

270.64%

Banana (1kg)

$3.59 ₩4,769

$1.61 ₡720

122.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.12 ₩10.8K

$4.80 ₡2,152

69.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.79 ₩7,697

$1.61 ₡724

259.63%

Potato (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,810

$3.80 ₡1,703

54.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ₩4,505

$3.69 ₡1,657

-8.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 ₩3,670

$1.13 ₡507

144.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₩1,714

$2.66 ₡1,191

-51.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ₩4,449

$5.18 ₡2,321

-35.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.30 ₩24.3K

$19.88 ₡8,916

-7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₩3,180

$2.90 ₡1,300

-17.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₩3,913

$3.63 ₡1,626

-19.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,518

$1.12 ₡504

1.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₩4,785

$2.14 ₡958

68.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₩983

$1.57 ₡703

-52.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.81 ₩22.3K

$8.52 ₡3,823

97.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₩1,790

$1.52 ₡682

-11.18%

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

$29.6K ₩39.4M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

36.96%

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

$34.1K ₩45.4M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-1.18%

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

$201 ₩266.7K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

108.34%

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

$26.62 ₩35.4K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-25.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.03 ₩35.9K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-49.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ₩69.2K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-27.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 ₩16.2K

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-65.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 ₩15.6K

$7.89 ₡3,539

48.80%

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

$632 ₩840.9K

$494 ₡221.6K

27.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K ₩28.7M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

82.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 ₩97.6K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

36.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.03 ₩50.6K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-31.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ₩100.4K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₩150.3K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

41.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ₩652.0K

$788 ₡353.4K

-37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₩473.4K

$794 ₡356.2K

-55.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 ₩1.6M

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-70.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 ₩974.6K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-48.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,100 ₩9.4M

$6,912 ₡3.1M

2.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,588 ₩7.4M

$1,224 ₡549.0K

356.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,678 ₩2.2M

$864 ₡387.3K

94.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

8.62

-51.04%

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

Last update for Chungju: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Chungju

$453 31.3%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 22.3% $101

Accommodation & Living

Chungju

$356 24.6%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 123% $438

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chungju

$254 17.5%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 26.9% $69

Eating Out

Chungju

$164 11.3%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 29.2% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Chungju

$135 9.3%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 11% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chungju

$76 5.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 15.6% $12

Getting Around

Chungju

$12 * 0.8%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 635% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chungju versus $788 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 94% higher in Chungju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Chungju versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $453 in Chungju vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Chungju

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

14:58 2:58 PM

23:58 11:58 PM

15 h behind Chungju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

208,529

4,912

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 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).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chungju Nosara 13,730 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Chungju
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

Chungju vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 27% more than Chungju, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Chungju and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chungju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,450 in Chungju and $1,839 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 27%.

Kindergarten costs $632 per month in Chungju and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chungju, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Chungju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chungju costs $1,450 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chungju. 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.