Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitakyushu and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Kitakyushu: $1,240 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Kitakyushu
Learn more

Kitakyushu Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Kitakyushu

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,240

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,240 per month in Kitakyushu vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Kitakyushu $1,240
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,919 per month in Kitakyushu vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Kitakyushu $1,919
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,599 per month in Kitakyushu vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Kitakyushu $2,599
Nosara $3,818

Kitakyushu is about 33% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kitakyushu sits 8% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 ¥1,153

$12.35 ₡5,539

-40.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.63 ¥5,314

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-45.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 ¥868

$7.52 ₡3,373

-26.99%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥525

$4.41 ₡1,978

-24.72%

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

$0.99 ¥157

$1.74 ₡780

-43.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥118

$1.31 ₡587

-42.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 ¥475

$3.28 ₡1,471

-8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥348

$4.47 ₡2,004

-50.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ¥236

$1.56 ₡701

-4.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ¥209

$3.02 ₡1,355

-56.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.31 ¥839

$2.51 ₡1,125

111.55%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥363

$3.57 ₡1,603

-35.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ¥1,494

$7.43 ₡3,333

27.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 ¥835

$10.52 ₡4,717

-49.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.56 ¥2,932

$13.97 ₡6,265

32.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 ¥586

$2.35 ₡1,052

57.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ¥282

$1.61 ₡720

10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ¥459

$4.80 ₡2,152

-39.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 ¥455

$1.61 ₡724

78.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 ¥347

$3.80 ₡1,703

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ¥399

$3.69 ₡1,657

-31.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ¥168

$1.13 ₡507

-6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥145

$2.66 ₡1,191

-65.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ¥626

$5.18 ₡2,321

-23.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 ¥1,017

$19.88 ₡8,916

-67.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥272

$2.90 ₡1,300

-40.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥269

$3.63 ₡1,626

-53.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 ¥261

$1.12 ₡504

47.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ¥8,405

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-26.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ¥617

$2.14 ₡958

82.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 ¥331

$1.57 ₡703

33.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.98 ¥2,840

$8.52 ₡3,823

111.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ¥164

$1.52 ₡682

-31.58%

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

$20.8K ¥3.3M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

-3.73%

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

$17.8K ¥2.8M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-48.48%

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

$195 ¥30.9K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

102.89%

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

$24.96 ¥3,944

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-30.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.31 ¥5,105

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-39.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 ¥8,126

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-28.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.22 ¥508

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-90.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ¥1,768

$7.89 ₡3,539

41.83%

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

$371 ¥58.7K

$494 ₡221.6K

-24.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥2.0M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

4.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ¥7,832

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-8.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.75 ¥4,069

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-53.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 ¥10.5K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 ¥8,658

$79.6 ₡35.7K

-31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 ¥82.5K

$788 ₡353.4K

-33.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ¥52.6K

$794 ₡356.2K

-58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 ¥174.7K

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 ¥114.6K

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-48.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,174 ¥659.5K

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-39.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,729 ¥273.1K

$1,224 ₡549.0K

41.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 ¥238.5K

$864 ₡387.3K

74.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.69

8.62

-80.39%

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

Last update for Kitakyushu: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kitakyushu

$333 26.9%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 138% $461

Groceries & Markets

Kitakyushu

$276 22.3%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 27.6% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kitakyushu

$253 20.4%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 26.5% $67

Eating Out

Kitakyushu

$141 11.4%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 50.1% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Kitakyushu

$88 7.1%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 35.8% $32

Getting Around

Kitakyushu

$74 6%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 17.4% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Kitakyushu

$74 6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 18.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Kitakyushu 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 75% higher in Kitakyushu, 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 $34.00 in Kitakyushu versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $352 – making Kitakyushu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇵 Kitakyushu

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

01:03 1:03 AM

15 h behind Kitakyushu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

939,029

4,912

💱 Currency

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇵 Japanese Yen (¥)

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to JPY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kitakyushu Nosara 13,800 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Kitakyushu
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

Kitakyushu vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,240 in Kitakyushu, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 48% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Kitakyushu 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 Kitakyushu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $34.00 in Kitakyushu and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Kitakyushu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kitakyushu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,240 in Kitakyushu to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kitakyushu. 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.