Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jambi and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Jambi: $582 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Jambi
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Jambi Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Jambi

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$582

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $582 in Jambi versus $1,835 in Nosara.

Jambi $582
Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $920 in Jambi versus $2,825 in Nosara.

Jambi $920
Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,258 in Jambi versus $3,814 in Nosara.

Jambi $1,258
Nosara $3,814

Living in Jambi costs roughly 68% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jambi is 57% below, Nosara is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

$12.34 ₡5,535

-87.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.52 Rp 225.4K

$61.3 ₡27.5K

-79.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.95 Rp 53.2K

$7.76 ₡3,481

-61.98%

Cappuccino

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$4.44 ₡1,992

-70.27%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,256

$1.79 ₡803

-74.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 Rp 3,352

$1.29 ₡580

-85.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 Rp 37.7K

$3.24 ₡1,451

-35.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

$4.43 ₡1,985

-24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.9K

$1.55 ₡696

-29.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

$3.08 ₡1,380

-63.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.5K

$2.53 ₡1,133

-68.38%

Eggs

$1.47 Rp 26.4K

$3.45 ₡1,546

-57.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 Rp 123.8K

$7.32 ₡3,284

-6.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.5K

$10.24 ₡4,594

-73.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.34 Rp 150.0K

$14.10 ₡6,326

-40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.9K

$2.29 ₡1,027

-0.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.5K

$1.64 ₡737

-20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 31.6K

$4.79 ₡2,149

-63.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$1.64 ₡735

-27.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 23.0K

$3.85 ₡1,727

-66.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.9K

$3.75 ₡1,681

-46.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Rp 12.2K

$1.09 ₡488

-37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$2.59 ₡1,160

-84.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

$5.12 ₡2,295

-49.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.00 Rp 324.0K

$19.92 ₡8,931

-9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

$2.80 ₡1,255

-32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

$3.52 ₡1,580

-19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,299

$1.22 ₡549

-80.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,715

$2.17 ₡973

-75.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 Rp 7,371

$1.56 ₡698

-73.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$8.67 ₡3,886

-73.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$1.55 ₡697

-36.77%

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

$20.5K Rp 368.7M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-40.71%

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

$34.5K Rp 620.1M

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-11.09%

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

$60.0 Rp 1.1M

$94.8 ₡42.5K

-36.72%

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

$4.49 Rp 80.8K

$36.15 ₡16.2K

-87.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.38 Rp 384.8K

$53.1 ₡23.8K

-59.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.48 Rp 278.6K

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-79.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.59 Rp 154.7K

$35.63 ₡16.0K

-75.89%

Cinema Ticket

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

$7.91 ₡3,548

-65.87%

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

$103 Rp 1.9M

$490 ₡219.9K

-79.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,931 Rp 124.8M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-41.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.84 Rp 861.1K

$54.8 ₡24.6K

-12.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 Rp 469.1K

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-53.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 Rp 1.3M

$80.4 ₡36.0K

-13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.3 Rp 1.2M

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 Rp 4.0M

$801 ₡359.1K

-72.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 Rp 2.4M

$790 ₡354.1K

-83.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 Rp 11.1M

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-84.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 Rp 5.6M

$1,409 ₡632.0K

-77.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,013 Rp 18.2M

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-85.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$764 Rp 13.7M

$1,236 ₡554.3K

-38.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 Rp 3.6M

$887 ₡397.6K

-77.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

8.62

9.74%

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

Last update for Jambi: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Jambi

$189 32.5%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 85% $161

Accommodation & Living

Jambi

$132 22.7%

Nosara

$790 43% 499% $658

Clothing & Footwear

Jambi

$94 16.1%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 28.9% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jambi

$86 14.8%

Nosara

$184 10% 114% $98

Eating Out

Jambi

$57 9.8%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 275% $156

Sport & Entertainment

Jambi

$21 3.6%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 329% $69

Getting Around

Jambi

$3.5 * 0.6%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 2407% $85

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 $221 in Jambi and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 346% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $13.00 in Jambi vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $350 per month, with Jambi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Jambi

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

00:57 12:57 AM

11:57 11:57 AM

13 h behind Jambi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

750,857

4,912

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jambi Nosara 18,630 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Jambi
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

Jambi vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jambi and Nosara differ by about 216% in total monthly costs ($582 vs $1,835 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 346% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $221 in Jambi versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $582 per month in Jambi versus $1,835 in Nosara – a 216% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Jambi versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jambi but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Jambi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Jambi 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.

Expats usually find Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 216% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.