Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharan: $56.9 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $21,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

17

Cost of Living Index in Dharan
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Dharan Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Dharan

🇳🇵 Nepal

$56.9

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $56.9 per month in Dharan vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Dharan $56.9
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $89.7 per month in Dharan vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Dharan $89.7
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $122 per month in Dharan vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Dharan $122
Nosara $3,712

Dharan is about 97% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Dharan sits 96% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 NPR 309

$12.22 ₡5,509

-83.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$1.64 NPR 254

$4.31 ₡1,941

-61.95%

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

$0.40 NPR 62.1

$1.72 ₡773

-76.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 20.65

$1.35 ₡608

-90.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 NPR 67.0

$3.17 ₡1,429

-86.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 NPR 399

$10.42 ₡4,697

-75.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

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)

$1.14 NPR 177

$1.57 ₡708

-27.39%

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

$1.90 NPR 294

$7.84 ₡3,535

-75.77%

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 Dharan: October 6, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Eating Out

Dharan

$38 * 64.3%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 454% $172

Groceries & Markets

Dharan

$17 * 29.3%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 1929% $332

Sport & Entertainment

Dharan

$3.8 * 6.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 2198% $83

Getting Around

Dharan

- * 0%

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dharan

- * 0%

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Dharan

- * 0%

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Accommodation & Living

Dharan

- * 0%

Nosara

$780 43%

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

Good to know

🇳🇵 Dharan

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

08:34 8:34 AM

20:49 8:49 PM

11 h 45 min behind Dharan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

173,096

4,912

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to NPR – Nepalese Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇵 Nepalese Rupee (रु)

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 174 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.76 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 NPR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dharan Nosara 15,850 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Dharan
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

Dharan vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 3129% more than Dharan, 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 $85.4 per month in Dharan 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 $56.9 in Dharan and $1,837 in Nosara. That's a gap of about 3129%.

Groceries cost about 1929% 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 Dharan, where all-in costs run around $56.9, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Dharan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $56.9 versus $1,837 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 Dharan. 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.