Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Jeju: $1,111 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Jeju
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Jeju Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,111

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,111 per month in Jeju vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

Jeju $1,111
Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,874 per month in Jeju vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

Jeju $1,874
Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Jeju vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

Jeju $2,637
Nosara $3,712

Jeju is about 40% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jeju sits 17% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 ₩9,749

$12.22 ₡5,509

-40.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 ₩69.9K

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-13.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ₩7,308

$7.54 ₡3,399

-27.85%

Cappuccino

$6.03 ₩8,099

$4.31 ₡1,941

39.91%

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

$2.22 ₩2,988

$1.72 ₡773

29.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₩2,601

$1.35 ₡608

43.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₩4,808

$3.24 ₡1,459

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₩3,907

$4.48 ₡2,018

-35.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩2,987

$1.57 ₡707

41.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 ₩2,968

$3.17 ₡1,429

-30.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 ₩3,079

$2.42 ₡1,091

-5.37%

Eggs

$2.70 ₩3,621

$3.57 ₡1,609

-24.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ₩2,866

$1.61 ₡728

32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ₩3,934

$3.72 ₡1,679

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,512

$3.57 ₡1,611

-47.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 ₩2,932

$1.10 ₡497

98.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩579

$2.55 ₡1,149

-83.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 ₩15.3K

$20.01 ₡9,020

-42.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₩2,594

$2.79 ₡1,256

-30.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,305

$3.53 ₡1,589

-51.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₩1,275

$1.19 ₡537

-20.17%

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)

$1.39 ₩1,862

$1.57 ₡708

-11.46%

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)

$210 ₩282.5K

$93.5 ₡42.1K

125.07%

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

$54.7 ₩73.5K

$35.11 ₡15.8K

55.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.28 ₩25.9K

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-62.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K ₩33.0M

$11.9K ₡5.4M

106.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 ₩70.2K

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ₩39.7K

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-46.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 ₩88.3K

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ₩120.8K

$78.9 ₡35.6K

14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₩618.0K

$786 ₡354.3K

-41.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₩512.5K

$780 ₡351.6K

-51.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 ₩1.8M

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-65.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 ₩1.5M

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-18.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ₩14.0M

$6,972 ₡3.1M

48.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,745 ₩9.1M

$1,201 ₡541.3K

461.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,840 ₩2.5M

$876 ₡395.0K

109.97%

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 Jeju: October 3, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

$382 34.6%

Nosara

$780 43% 104% $398

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

$284 25.8%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 36.7% $104

Eating Out

Jeju

$187 17%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 11.9% $22

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

$139 * 12.6%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 151% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

$107 9.7%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 12.6% $13

Getting Around

Jeju

$3.8 * 0.3%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 2186% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

- * 0%

Nosara

$87 4.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Jeju versus $786 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 110% higher in Jeju, 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 $52.0 in Jeju versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $139 vs $350 – making Jeju the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

12:47 12:47 PM

21:47 9:47 PM

15 h behind Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

4,912

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.64 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,343 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,506 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.64 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 KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jeju Nosara 14,100 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Jeju
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

Jeju vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Jeju and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 151% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Jeju and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jeju, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Jeju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jeju – 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 Jeju. 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.