Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima: $778 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nakhon Ratchasima
🇹🇭 Thailand
$778
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $778 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Nakhon Ratchasima $778
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Nakhon Ratchasima $1,275
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Nakhon Ratchasima $1,773
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Nakhon Ratchasima costs roughly 58% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nakhon Ratchasima is 42% below, Nosara is 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.85 ฿95.2
$12.35 ₡5,539
-76.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.19 ฿875
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-57.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.92 ฿198
$7.52 ₡3,373
-21.28%
Cappuccino
$1.90 ฿63.5
$4.41 ₡1,978
-56.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.68
$1.74 ₡780
-69.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.41
$1.31 ₡587
-76.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 ฿60.6
$3.28 ₡1,471
-44.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ฿90.3
$4.47 ₡2,004
-39.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.56 ₡701
6.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 ฿40.61
$3.02 ₡1,355
-59.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.26 ฿42.25
$2.51 ₡1,125
-49.80%
Eggs
$1.50 ฿50.1
$3.57 ₡1,603
-57.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.26 ฿510
$7.43 ₡3,333
105.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.58 ฿86.1
$10.52 ₡4,717
-75.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.27 ฿343
$13.97 ₡6,265
-26.49%
Apples (1kg)
$3.15 ฿105
$2.35 ₡1,052
34.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 ฿42.10
$1.61 ₡720
-21.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 ฿64.1
$4.80 ₡2,152
-60.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 ฿64.6
$1.61 ₡724
19.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 ฿40.12
$3.80 ₡1,703
-68.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.87
$3.69 ₡1,657
-71.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ฿42.32
$1.13 ₡507
12.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.50
$2.66 ₡1,191
-86.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$5.18 ₡2,321
-45.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.86 ฿597
$19.88 ₡8,916
-10.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ฿57.0
$2.90 ₡1,300
-41.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 ฿100.0
$3.63 ₡1,626
-17.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ฿15.47
$1.12 ₡504
-58.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.17 ฿641
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-73.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ฿35.51
$2.14 ₡958
-50.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 ฿36.38
$1.57 ₡703
-30.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.29 ฿244
$8.52 ₡3,823
-14.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ฿44.44
$1.52 ₡682
-12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.1K ฿1.5M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
108.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿894.2K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-22.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.1 ฿2,977
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-7.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.76 ฿393
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-67.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.28 ฿644
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-64.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.96 ฿1,569
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-34.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.08 ฿504
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-56.80%
Cinema Ticket
$4.79 ฿160
$7.89 ₡3,539
-39.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$176 ฿5,868
$494 ₡221.6K
-64.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K ฿475.9K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
20.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1 ฿1,674
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-7.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.96 ฿968
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-47.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ฿2,604
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-0.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.1 ฿2,244
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-15.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$221 ฿7,375
$788 ₡353.4K
-72.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 ฿5,221
$794 ₡356.2K
-80.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 ฿16.3K
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-87.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$418 ฿14.0K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-70.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,378 ฿112.9K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-51.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,699 ฿56.8K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
38.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$592 ฿19.8K
$864 ₡387.3K
-31.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.1
8.62
-40.84%

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

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Nakhon Ratchasima
$235
Nosara
$352 49.6% $117
Accommodation & Living
Nakhon Ratchasima
$156
Nosara
$794 409% $638
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nakhon Ratchasima
$120
Nosara
$186 54.6% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Nakhon Ratchasima
$101
Nosara
$120 19.1% $19
Eating Out
Nakhon Ratchasima
$81
Nosara
$212 161% $131
Sport & Entertainment
Nakhon Ratchasima
$57
Nosara
$87 54.5% $31
Getting Around
Nakhon Ratchasima
$28
Nosara
$87 216% $60

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Nakhon Ratchasima and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 46% 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: $26.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $352 per month, with Nakhon Ratchasima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Nakhon Ratchasima
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
06:26 6:26 AM
17:26 5:26 PM
13 h behind Nakhon Ratchasima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
126,391
4,912
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nakhon Ratchasima Nosara 17,110 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nakhon Ratchasima
  • 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
Nakhon Ratchasima vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nakhon Ratchasima and in Nosara?
Nakhon Ratchasima and Nosara differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($778 vs $1,839 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 46% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Nakhon Ratchasima and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $221 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $778 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Ratchasima but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Ratchasima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nosara?
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.
Is Nakhon Ratchasima or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nakhon Ratchasima 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.
Where should expats move: Nakhon Ratchasima or Nosara?
Expats usually find Nakhon Ratchasima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Nakhon Ratchasima vs other spots: cost of living compared

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