Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gimhae and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Gimhae: $1,541 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Nosara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Gimhae
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,541
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,541 in Gimhae versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Gimhae $1,541
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,437 in Gimhae versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Gimhae $2,437
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,333 in Gimhae versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Gimhae $3,333
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Gimhae costs roughly 16% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gimhae 14% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67 ₩10.2K
$12.35 ₡5,539
-37.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.55 ₩64.8K
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-20.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.61 ₩8,821
$7.52 ₡3,373
-12.10%
Cappuccino
$3.59 ₩4,787
$4.41 ₡1,978
-18.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 ₩2,460
$1.74 ₡780
5.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 ₩1,872
$1.31 ₡587
6.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 ₩4,997
$3.28 ₡1,471
14.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.24 ₩5,651
$4.47 ₡2,004
-5.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 ₩3,007
$1.56 ₡701
44.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.19 ₩4,252
$3.02 ₡1,355
5.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 ₩4,066
$2.51 ₡1,125
21.51%
Eggs
$2.70 ₩3,600
$3.57 ₡1,603
-24.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.02 ₩14.7K
$7.43 ₡3,333
48.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.56 ₩14.1K
$10.52 ₡4,717
0.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.32 ₩33.8K
$13.97 ₡6,265
81.25%
Apples (1kg)
$11.29 ₩15.1K
$2.35 ₡1,052
380.43%
Banana (1kg)
$3.59 ₩4,791
$1.61 ₡720
122.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.31 ₩11.1K
$4.80 ₡2,152
73.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.04 ₩8,061
$1.61 ₡724
275.16%
Potato (1kg)
$6.15 ₩8,201
$3.80 ₡1,703
61.84%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 ₩4,395
$3.69 ₡1,657
-10.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.85 ₩3,808
$1.13 ₡507
152.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 ₩1,701
$2.66 ₡1,191
-52.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 ₩4,510
$5.18 ₡2,321
-34.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.56 ₩24.8K
$19.88 ₡8,916
-6.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.39 ₩3,184
$2.90 ₡1,300
-17.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ₩4,669
$3.63 ₡1,626
-3.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 ₩1,456
$1.12 ₡504
-2.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.65 ₩4,876
$2.14 ₡958
70.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 ₩1,027
$1.57 ₡703
-50.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.84 ₩22.5K
$8.52 ₡3,823
97.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 ₩1,713
$1.52 ₡682
-15.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K ₩39.3M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
36.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K ₩45.0M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-2.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 ₩269.1K
$96.3 ₡43.2K
109.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.95 ₩48.0K
$35.89 ₡16.1K
0.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.53 ₩35.4K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-50.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 ₩68.6K
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-28.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.05 ₩16.1K
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-65.48%
Cinema Ticket
$12.09 ₩16.1K
$7.89 ₡3,539
53.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$627 ₩836.6K
$494 ₡221.6K
26.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K ₩28.7M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
81.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 ₩137.7K
$53.9 ₡24.2K
91.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.3 ₩88.4K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
19.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 ₩123.0K
$77.9 ₡34.9K
18.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 ₩169.1K
$79.6 ₡35.7K
59.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$491 ₩655.4K
$788 ₡353.4K
-37.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 ₩482.2K
$794 ₡356.2K
-54.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,146 ₩1.5M
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-70.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$744 ₩992.5K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-47.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,025 ₩9.4M
$6,912 ₡3.1M
1.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,432 ₩7.2M
$1,224 ₡549.0K
343.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gimhae
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,546 ₩3.4M
$864 ₡387.3K
194.87%
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 Gimhae: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gimhae
$488
Nosara
$352 27.9% $136
Accommodation & Living
Gimhae
$361
Nosara
$794 120% $433
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gimhae
$264
Nosara
$186 29.7% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Gimhae
$175
Nosara
$120 31.3% $55
Eating Out
Gimhae
$164
Nosara
$212 28.8% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Gimhae
$76
Nosara
$87 15.5% $12
Getting Around
Gimhae
$12 *
Nosara
$87 634% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Gimhae and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gimhae pays 195% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Gimhae vs $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries flip the comparison at $488 vs $352, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Gimhae
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
04:51 4:51 AM
13:51 1:51 PM
15 h behind Gimhae
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
532,132
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Gimhae Nosara 13,810 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gimhae
  • 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
Gimhae vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gimhae or Nosara?
Gimhae wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gimhae the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gimhae or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 195% higher in Gimhae, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gimhae compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $491 in Gimhae versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gimhae and in Nosara?
Childcare runs $627 in Gimhae versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Gimhae and in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Gimhae – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Gimhae or in Nosara?
At $1,541 in Gimhae versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gimhae but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Gimhae the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gimhae or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Gimhae delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,541 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gimhae hard to pass up.
How safe is Gimhae compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Gimhae 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 Gimhae gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Gimhae vs other spots: cost of living compared

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