Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Cheras

For one person, living is cheaper in Cheras: $1,130 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Cheras
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Cheras Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Cheras

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,130

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Cheras

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,130 in Cheras, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Cheras $1,130

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,541 in Cheras, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Cheras $1,541

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,952 in Cheras, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Cheras $1,952

Nosara costs about 63% more than Cheras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Cheras is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$3.58 MYR 14.62

244.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$24.28 MYR 99.1

151.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$4.80 MYR 19.57

56.67%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.08 MYR 12.55

43.18%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.93 MYR 3.79

87.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.60 MYR 2.44

118.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$4.35 MYR 17.75

-24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$6.25 MYR 25.50

-28.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.93 MYR 7.88

-19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.02 MYR 4.18

196.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.44 MYR 5.89

74.31%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.77 MYR 7.23

101.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$17.85 MYR 72.8

-58.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$4.56 MYR 18.60

130.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$10.81 MYR 44.09

29.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.55 MYR 14.50

-33.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.63 MYR 10.73

82.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.67 MYR 6.80

-3.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.08 MYR 8.48

82.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.65 MYR 6.72

123.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.38 MYR 5.63

-18.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.51 MYR 2.07

421.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$4.24 MYR 17.30

22.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$13.88 MYR 56.6

43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.77 MYR 11.30

4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.15 MYR 12.83

15.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.70 MYR 2.87

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$12.03 MYR 49.08

503.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.01 MYR 4.13

111.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.35 MYR 1.44

348.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$8.96 MYR 36.57

-4.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.88 MYR 3.58

72.73%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$40.9K MYR 167.0K

-47.22%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

1.52%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$49.67 MYR 203

93.86%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$11.06 MYR 45.10

224.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$27.31 MYR 111

96.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$39.42 MYR 161

81.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$7.14 MYR 29.13

388.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$4.99 MYR 20.36

58.12%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$164 MYR 667

202.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$4,451 MYR 18.2K

166.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$54.3 MYR 221

-0.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$29.39 MYR 120

88.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$81.5 MYR 332

-4.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$98.6 MYR 402

-19.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$409 MYR 1,669

92.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$467 MYR 1,906

70.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$687 MYR 2,803

473.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$485 MYR 1,977

192.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,052 MYR 8,372

236.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,103 MYR 4,501

10.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,189 MYR 4,851

-27.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.06

112.32%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cheras: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Cheras

$467 41.4% 41.2% $327

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Cheras

$268 23.8% 23.8% $84

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Cheras

$120 10.7% 43.2% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Cheras

$88 7.8% 52.6% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Cheras

$119 10.5% 1.2% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Cheras

$49 4.4% 43.5% $38

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Cheras

$18 1.6% 79.8% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $409 in Cheras. 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 38% higher in Cheras, 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 $24.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $268 – making Cheras the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇾 Cheras

🕒 Local time

22:50 10:50 PM

12:50 12:50 PM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

440,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Cheras 18,350 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Cheras

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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,695 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $61.0 in Nosara and $24.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $1,130, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cheras. 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.