Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kandy: $513 a month against $1,846 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Kandy
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Kandy Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Kandy

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$513

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,846

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $513 in Kandy versus $1,846 in Nosara.

Kandy $513
Nosara $1,846

Estimated couple costs with rent: $728 in Kandy versus $2,833 in Nosara.

Kandy $728
Nosara $2,833

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $943 in Kandy versus $3,820 in Nosara.

Kandy $943
Nosara $3,820

Living in Kandy costs roughly 72% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kandy is 62% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 LKR 885

$12.36 ₡5,575

-78.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.01 LKR 4,324

$60.8 ₡27.4K

-78.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 LKR 1,996

$7.88 ₡3,557

-23.86%

Cappuccino

$1.90 LKR 632

$4.40 ₡1,986

-56.82%

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

$0.52 LKR 174

$1.72 ₡776

-69.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 LKR 87.1

$1.34 ₡603

-80.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 LKR 620

$3.34 ₡1,505

-44.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 LKR 931

$4.54 ₡2,048

-38.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.64 ₡739

-29.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 174

$3.16 ₡1,426

-83.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 255

$2.39 ₡1,080

-67.78%

Eggs

$1.71 LKR 568

$3.47 ₡1,564

-50.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 LKR 1,708

$7.13 ₡3,217

-27.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 LKR 1,412

$10.32 ₡4,655

-58.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.87 LKR 2,285

$13.97 ₡6,302

-50.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 LKR 1,043

$2.29 ₡1,031

37.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 280

$1.62 ₡731

-48.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 LKR 574

$4.81 ₡2,169

-64.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 429

$1.68 ₡758

-23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 339

$3.91 ₡1,765

-73.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 277

$3.63 ₡1,640

-77.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 LKR 144

$1.13 ₡509

-61.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 140

$2.63 ₡1,188

-84.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 LKR 2,668

$5.02 ₡2,267

59.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 LKR 3,751

$19.71 ₡8,893

-42.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 LKR 643

$2.91 ₡1,314

-33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 691

$3.54 ₡1,597

-41.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$1.21 ₡545

-86.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.38 LKR 1,457

$73.8 ₡33.3K

-94.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$2.15 ₡969

-80.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$1.63 ₡738

-78.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$8.77 ₡3,958

-94.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 383

$1.55 ₡700

-25.81%

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

$14.0K LKR 4.6M

$33.9K ₡15.3M

-58.76%

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

$36.7K LKR 12.2M

$38.5K ₡17.4M

-4.50%

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

$59.0 LKR 19.6K

$95.2 ₡43.0K

-38.02%

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

$3.86 LKR 1,282

$36.29 ₡16.4K

-89.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.72 LKR 4,227

$52.0 ₡23.5K

-75.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.85 LKR 3,606

$67.6 ₡30.5K

-83.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 LKR 2,262

$35.55 ₡16.0K

-80.87%

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 LKR 909

$7.54 ₡3,404

-63.66%

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

$21.65 LKR 7,199

$496 ₡224.0K

-95.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$304 LKR 101.0K

$11.8K ₡5.3M

-97.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 LKR 6,078

$55.1 ₡24.9K

-66.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.15 LKR 3,375

$56.1 ₡25.3K

-81.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 LKR 22.5K

$77.8 ₡35.1K

-12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.56 LKR 8,831

$79.1 ₡35.7K

-66.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 LKR 57.2K

$817 ₡368.9K

-78.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 LKR 37.5K

$806 ₡363.6K

-85.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 LKR 57.2K

$3,988 ₡1.8M

-95.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.6 LKR 31.1K

$1,429 ₡644.9K

-93.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$397 LKR 131.9K

$7,068 ₡3.2M

-94.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$400 LKR 133.0K

$1,197 ₡540.1K

-66.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 LKR 86.9K

$888 ₡400.7K

-70.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

39.21%

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

Last update for Kandy: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kandy

$166 32.3%

Nosara

$351 19% 112% $185

Accommodation & Living

Kandy

$113 22%

Nosara

$806 43.7% 614% $693

Eating Out

Kandy

$80 15.6%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 166% $133

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kandy

$76 14.7%

Nosara

$184 9.9% 143% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Kandy

$55 10.8%

Nosara

$121 6.5% 119% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Kandy

$16 3.2%

Nosara

$83 4.5% 407% $66

Getting Around

Kandy

$7.2 1.4%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 1140% $82

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $172 in Kandy and $817 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays about 3.4 times 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 in Kandy vs $61 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $351 per month, with Kandy cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Kandy

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

11:33 11:33 AM

11 h 30 min behind Kandy

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

125,000

4,912

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kandy Nosara 17,570 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Kandy
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

Kandy vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 260% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Kandy. 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: $172 in Kandy versus $817 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $513 per month in Kandy versus $1,846 in Nosara – a 260% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 94% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $513 in Kandy versus $1,846 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.