Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kathmandu and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kathmandu: $481 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
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Kathmandu Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$481

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $481 in Kathmandu versus $1,837 in Nosara.

Kathmandu $481
Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Kathmandu versus $2,775 in Nosara.

Kathmandu $767
Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,052 in Kathmandu versus $3,712 in Nosara.

Kathmandu $1,052
Nosara $3,712

Living in Kathmandu costs roughly 74% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kathmandu is 64% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 NPR 300

$12.22 ₡5,509

-84.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.45 NPR 3,165

$60.2 ₡27.1K

-66.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 NPR 1,194

$7.54 ₡3,399

2.25%

Cappuccino

$1.51 NPR 233

$4.31 ₡1,941

-64.97%

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

$0.49 NPR 76.5

$1.72 ₡773

-71.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 NPR 24.27

$1.35 ₡608

-88.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 NPR 471

$3.24 ₡1,459

-6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NPR 506

$4.48 ₡2,018

-27.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 118

$1.57 ₡707

-51.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 NPR 96.3

$3.17 ₡1,429

-80.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 NPR 131

$2.42 ₡1,091

-64.88%

Eggs

$1.65 NPR 255

$3.57 ₡1,609

-53.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 NPR 1,106

$7.43 ₡3,349

-3.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 NPR 492

$10.42 ₡4,697

-69.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 NPR 917

$13.66 ₡6,156

-56.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 NPR 313

$2.32 ₡1,044

-12.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 NPR 179

$1.61 ₡728

-27.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 NPR 222

$4.74 ₡2,138

-69.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 82.5

$1.66 ₡747

-68.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 NPR 59.0

$3.72 ₡1,679

-89.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 82.6

$3.57 ₡1,611

-85.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 NPR 69.6

$1.10 ₡497

-59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 NPR 33.94

$2.55 ₡1,149

-91.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 NPR 385

$4.95 ₡2,232

-49.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 NPR 1,211

$20.01 ₡9,020

-60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 355

$2.79 ₡1,256

-17.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 NPR 476

$3.53 ₡1,589

-12.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 26.30

$1.19 ₡537

-85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.64 NPR 1,493

$72.1 ₡32.5K

-86.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 NPR 285

$2.24 ₡1,011

-17.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 NPR 183

$1.55 ₡701

-23.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 NPR 492

$8.86 ₡3,993

-64.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NPR 207

$1.57 ₡708

-15.29%

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

$28.7K NPR 4.4M

$21.8K ₡9.8M

31.52%

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

$36.0K NPR 5.6M

$34.6K ₡15.6M

3.98%

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

$31.63 NPR 4,895

$93.5 ₡42.1K

-66.15%

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

$3.48 NPR 538

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-90.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 NPR 1,384

$51.5 ₡23.2K

-82.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 NPR 3,323

$71.4 ₡32.2K

-69.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.71 NPR 1,038

$35.44 ₡16.0K

-81.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 NPR 465

$7.84 ₡3,535

-61.73%

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

$66.8 NPR 10.3K

$490 ₡220.7K

-86.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,541 NPR 857.5K

$11.9K ₡5.4M

-53.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.59 NPR 3,806

$53.5 ₡24.1K

-54.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.39 NPR 4,084

$55.8 ₡25.1K

-52.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 NPR 9,761

$79.3 ₡35.7K

-20.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.31 NPR 4,381

$78.9 ₡35.6K

-64.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 NPR 33.5K

$786 ₡354.3K

-72.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 NPR 15.6K

$780 ₡351.6K

-87.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 NPR 66.5K

$3,860 ₡1.7M

-88.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 NPR 30.6K

$1,407 ₡634.4K

-85.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,248 NPR 347.9K

$6,972 ₡3.1M

-67.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,338 NPR 207.1K

$1,201 ₡541.3K

11.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 NPR 40.9K

$876 ₡395.0K

-69.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.72

8.62

12.76%

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

Last update for Kathmandu: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kathmandu

$144 30.1%

Nosara

$350 19.3% 142% $205

Accommodation & Living

Kathmandu

$101 21%

Nosara

$780 43% 673% $679

Eating Out

Kathmandu

$81 16.9%

Nosara

$209 11.6% 158% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Kathmandu

$64 13.4%

Nosara

$120 6.6% 87.9% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kathmandu

$44 9.2%

Nosara

$180 9.9% 309% $136

Sport & Entertainment

Kathmandu

$27 5.7%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 217% $60

Getting Around

Kathmandu

$18 3.8%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 381% $69

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Kathmandu and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 231% 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: $20.00 in Kathmandu vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $144 vs $350 per month, with Kathmandu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

12:10 12:10 PM

00:25 12:25 AM

11 h 45 min behind Kathmandu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

975,000 Capital

4,912

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to NPR – Nepalese Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇵 Nepalese Rupee (रु)

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 174 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.76 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 NPR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kathmandu Nosara 15,710 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Kathmandu
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

Kathmandu vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 282% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 231% 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: $216 in Kathmandu versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $481 per month in Kathmandu versus $1,837 in Nosara – a 282% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $481 in Kathmandu versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kathmandu but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Kathmandu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kathmandu 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 Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 282% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.