Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Icheon and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Icheon: $1,595 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Icheon
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Icheon Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Icheon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,595

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,595 per month in Icheon vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Icheon $1,595
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Icheon vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Icheon $2,043
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,491 per month in Icheon vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Icheon $2,491
Nosara $3,818

Icheon is about 13% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Icheon and Nosara sit above the global median – Icheon by 18%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 ₩8,267

$12.35 ₡5,539

-49.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.38 ₩64.5K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-20.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 ₩8,834

$7.52 ₡3,373

-11.97%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₩4,941

$4.41 ₡1,978

-16.10%

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

$1.33 ₩1,780

$1.74 ₡780

-23.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,558

$1.31 ₡587

-10.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 ₩5,070

$3.28 ₡1,471

15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 ₩5,626

$4.47 ₡2,004

-5.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ₩2,980

$1.56 ₡701

42.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 ₩4,361

$3.02 ₡1,355

8.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 ₩4,278

$2.51 ₡1,125

27.89%

Eggs

$2.74 ₩3,662

$3.57 ₡1,603

-23.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ₩14.6K

$7.43 ₡3,333

47.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₩14.1K

$10.52 ₡4,717

0.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.36 ₩33.8K

$13.97 ₡6,265

81.53%

Apples (1kg)

$11.33 ₩15.1K

$2.35 ₡1,052

382.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 ₩4,748

$1.61 ₡720

121.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.13 ₩10.8K

$4.80 ₡2,152

69.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 ₩7,876

$1.61 ₡724

266.46%

Potato (1kg)

$6.05 ₩8,071

$3.80 ₡1,703

59.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 ₩4,505

$3.69 ₡1,657

-8.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 ₩3,660

$1.13 ₡507

142.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,707

$2.66 ₡1,191

-51.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,393

$5.18 ₡2,321

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.65 ₩24.9K

$19.88 ₡8,916

-6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₩3,256

$2.90 ₡1,300

-15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ₩4,561

$3.63 ₡1,626

-5.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,471

$1.12 ₡504

-1.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,853

$2.14 ₡958

70.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 ₩1,031

$1.57 ₡703

-50.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.77 ₩22.4K

$8.52 ₡3,823

96.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,827

$1.52 ₡682

-9.87%

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

$29.9K ₩39.9M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

38.49%

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

$33.4K ₩44.6M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-3.25%

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

$200 ₩266.2K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

107.22%

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

$36.02 ₩48.1K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩36.3K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-49.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.45 ₩29.9K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-68.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 ₩15.1K

$7.89 ₡3,539

42.97%

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

$642 ₩856.1K

$494 ₡221.6K

29.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K ₩29.5M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

86.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩141.7K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

96.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 ₩87.4K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 ₩125.2K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

20.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ₩172.2K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

62.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₩998.0K

$788 ₡353.4K

-5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₩611.9K

$794 ₡356.2K

-42.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,317 ₩3.1M

$864 ₡387.3K

168.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

8.62

-54.76%

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

Last update for Icheon: 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

Icheon

$488 30.6%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 27.8% $136

Accommodation & Living

Icheon

$459 28.8%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 73.2% $336

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Icheon

$263 16.5%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 29.3% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Icheon

$178 11.1%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 32.4% $57

Eating Out

Icheon

$151 9.5%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 40% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Icheon

$45 2.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 94.1% $42

Getting Around

Icheon

$12 * 0.8%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 631% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $748 in Icheon 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 168% higher in Icheon, 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 Icheon versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $488 in Icheon vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Icheon

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

03:08 3:08 AM

12:08 12:08 PM

15 h behind Icheon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

213,059

4,912

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 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 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).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Icheon Nosara 13,730 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Icheon
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

Icheon vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,393 per month in Icheon 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 Icheon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Icheon and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Icheon, where all-in costs run around $1,595, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Icheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Icheon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Icheon. 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.