Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ansan

For one person, living is cheaper in Ansan: $1,404 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Ansan
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Ansan Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Ansan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,404

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ansan

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 Ansan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,404 in Ansan.

Nosara $1,839
Ansan $1,404

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $2,148 in Ansan.

Nosara $2,828
Ansan $2,148

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $2,892 in Ansan.

Nosara $3,818
Ansan $2,892

Living in Nosara is roughly 31% more expensive than in Ansan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nosara 36% above, Ansan 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$7.57 ₩10.1K

63.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$35.22 ₩46.8K

73.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.68 ₩8,887

12.57%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$4.01 ₩5,336

9.98%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.55 ₩2,063

12.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.76 ₩1,015

72.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.50 ₩4,659

-6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$4.61 ₩6,128

-3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.03 ₩2,702

-23.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.04 ₩4,038

-0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.34 ₩3,114

7.26%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.52 ₩4,675

1.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$15.62 ₩20.8K

-52.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$8.10 ₩10.8K

29.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$17.14 ₩22.8K

-18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$7.58 ₩10.1K

-69.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$3.18 ₩4,223

-49.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$5.70 ₩7,573

-15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$6.10 ₩8,104

-73.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$3.74 ₩4,972

1.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.54 ₩3,376

45.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.08 ₩2,759

-45.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.16 ₩1,537

129.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.32 ₩4,417

56.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$18.70 ₩24.9K

6.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.27 ₩3,012

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.19 ₩4,243

13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.13 ₩1,503

-0.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.63 ₩4,827

-41.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.64 ₩854

145.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$9.03 ₩12.0K

-5.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.42 ₩1,888

7.04%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$29.6K ₩39.4M

-27.05%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$28.1K ₩37.3M

23.01%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$208 ₩277.1K

-53.80%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$34.86 ₩46.3K

2.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$21.07 ₩28.0K

154.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$37.31 ₩49.6K

91.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$11.11 ₩14.8K

-28.98%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$299 ₩397.5K

65.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$18.0K ₩23.9M

-33.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$57.3 ₩76.2K

-5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$32.80 ₩43.6K

68.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$69.8 ₩92.9K

11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$81.2 ₩108.0K

-2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$449 ₩596.5K

75.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$379 ₩503.9K

109.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,122 ₩1.5M

251.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$740 ₩983.8K

91.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$21.4K ₩28.4M

-67.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,488 ₩2.0M

-41.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.08

111.27%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ansan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Ansan

$379 27% 52.3% $415

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Ansan

$417 29.7% 18.3% $64

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Ansan

$165 11.7% 22.2% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Ansan

$264 18.8% 42.3% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Ansan

$109 7.7% 9.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Ansan

$60 4.2% 31.9% $28

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Ansan

$11 * 0.8% 87% $76

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $449 in Ansan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ansan pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $35.00 in Ansan. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $417, with Nosara cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇷 Ansan

🕒 Local time

15:01 3:01 PM

06:01 6:01 AM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

677,710

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Ansan 13,760 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Ansan

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 Ansan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ansan is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Ansan. 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: $788 in Nosara versus $449 in Ansan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Nosara versus $299 in Ansan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ansan – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,404 in Ansan versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ansan but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Ansan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ansan 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, Nosara and Ansan 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 Ansan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.