Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Akita

For one person, living is cheaper in Akita: $1,213 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Akita
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,213
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Akita

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nosara and in Akita actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $1,213 in Akita, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Akita $1,213

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $1,904 in Akita, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Akita $1,904

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $2,596 in Akita, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Akita $2,596

Nosara costs about 51% more than Akita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nosara sits 35% above the global median, while Akita is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Akita
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$6.21 ¥981
98.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$31.98 ¥5,052
91.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$4.90 ¥775
58.37%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$3.54 ¥559
25.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$0.99 ¥156
80.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$0.81 ¥128
59.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$1.93 ¥306
67.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$3.12 ¥493
41.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Akita
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$1.52 ¥240
1.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$1.59 ¥252
93.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$4.11 ¥650
-38.44%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$2.04 ¥323
69.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$10.19 ¥1,610
-28.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$6.52 ¥1,031
57.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$16.23 ¥2,565
-13.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$3.63 ¥573
-36.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$2.25 ¥355
-27.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$2.83 ¥448
69.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$4.20 ¥663
-60.95%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$2.43 ¥384
58.44%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$2.48 ¥392
51.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$1.29 ¥204
-15.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$0.81 ¥127
219.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$4.01 ¥634
27.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$6.58 ¥1,039
202.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$1.88 ¥296
48.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$2.07 ¥327
70.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Akita
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.51 ¥239
-19.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
$54.0 ¥8,525
36.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$3.19 ¥503
-31.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$2.79 ¥440
-44.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$18.55 ¥2,931
-53.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.31 ¥207
18.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$21.7K ¥3.4M
59.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$15.2K ¥2.4M
155.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Akita
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$135 ¥21.3K
-29.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$24.50 ¥3,871
47.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$31.46 ¥4,971
68.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Akita
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$52.7 ¥8,332
39.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$11.84 ¥1,870
-33.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Akita
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$507 ¥80.1K
-3.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$12.7K ¥2.0M
-6.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Akita
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$41.47 ¥6,552
32.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$46.21 ¥7,301
20.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$84.7 ¥13.4K
-5.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$88.0 ¥13.9K
-11.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Akita
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$526 ¥83.1K
52.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$336 ¥53.1K
134.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$1,089 ¥172.1K
267.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$723 ¥114.1K
95.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$4,173 ¥659.3K
69.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$1,782 ¥281.5K
-30.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Akita
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
$1,613 ¥254.9K
-45.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
2.21
290.05%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Akita: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Akita
$336 57.4% $453
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Akita
$285 18.4% $64
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Akita
$130 38.9% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Akita
$191 3.5% $6.5
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Akita
$117 3.2% $3.9
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Akita
$76 14.7% $13
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Akita
$77 13.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $526 in Akita. 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 82% higher in Akita, 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $32.00 in Akita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $285 – making Akita the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇯🇵 Akita
🕒 Local time
11:50 11:50 AM
02:50 2:50 AM
15 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
307,672
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Akita 12,750 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Akita

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
Nosara vs Akita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nosara or Akita?
Nosara costs about 51% more than Akita, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nosara and in Akita?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $1,819 in Akita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Nosara or Akita?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Akita, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Nosara compared to Akita?
Public transport costs about 37% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Nosara and in Akita?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $507 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Nosara or in Akita?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Akita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nosara or Akita?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Akita costs $1,213 versus $1,835 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Nosara compared to Akita?
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.
Should I move to Nosara or to Akita?
If budget matters most, go with Akita. 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.

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