Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Chungju

For one person, living is cheaper in Chungju: $1,450 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 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
71

Cost of Living Index in Chungju
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Chungju Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Chungju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,450

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Chungju

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,450 in Chungju, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Chungju $1,450

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,285 in Chungju, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Chungju $2,285

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,121 in Chungju, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Chungju $3,121

Nosara costs about 27% more than Chungju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Chungju sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Chungju by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$7.39 ₩9,829

67.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$47.62 ₩63.3K

28.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.59 ₩8,761

14.11%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.70 ₩4,915

19.19%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.81 ₩2,401

-3.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.41 ₩1,870

-7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.82 ₩5,074

-14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$4.36 ₩5,797

2.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.28 ₩3,036

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.01 ₩4,007

0.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.05 ₩4,054

-17.70%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.63 ₩3,498

35.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$11.21 ₩14.9K

-33.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.67 ₩10.2K

37.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$24.54 ₩32.6K

-43.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$8.71 ₩11.6K

-73.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$3.59 ₩4,769

-55.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$8.12 ₩10.8K

-40.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$5.79 ₩7,697

-72.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$5.87 ₩7,810

-35.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$3.39 ₩4,505

8.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.76 ₩3,670

-59.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.29 ₩1,714

106.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.35 ₩4,449

54.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$18.30 ₩24.3K

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.39 ₩3,180

21.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.94 ₩3,913

23.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.14 ₩1,518

-1.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.60 ₩4,785

-40.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.74 ₩983

112.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$16.81 ₩22.3K

-49.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.35 ₩1,790

12.59%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$29.6K ₩39.4M

-26.99%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$34.1K ₩45.4M

1.20%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$201 ₩266.7K

-52.00%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$26.62 ₩35.4K

34.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$27.03 ₩35.9K

98.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$52.1 ₩69.2K

37.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$12.15 ₩16.2K

187.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$11.74 ₩15.6K

-32.79%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$632 ₩840.9K

-21.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$21.6K ₩28.7M

-45.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$73.4 ₩97.6K

-26.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$38.03 ₩50.6K

45.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$75.5 ₩100.4K

3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$113 ₩150.3K

-29.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$490 ₩652.0K

60.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$356 ₩473.4K

123.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,179 ₩1.6M

234.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$733 ₩974.6K

93.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$7,100 ₩9.4M

-2.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$5,588 ₩7.4M

-78.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,678 ₩2.2M

-48.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.22

104.27%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chungju: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Chungju

$356 24.6% 55.2% $438

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Chungju

$453 31.3% 28.6% $101

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Chungju

$164 11.3% 22.6% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Chungju

$254 17.5% 36.9% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Chungju

$135 9.3% 12.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Chungju

$76 5.2% 13.5% $12

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Chungju

$12 * 0.8% 86.4% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $490 in Chungju. 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 94% higher in Chungju, 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 $48.00 in Chungju. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $453 in Chungju – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇷 Chungju

🕒 Local time

16:47 4:47 PM

07:47 7:47 AM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

208,529

💱 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 Chungju 13,730 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Chungju

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 Chungju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 27% more than Chungju, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,175 in Chungju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,839 in Nosara and $1,450 in Chungju. That's a gap of about 27%.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $632 in Chungju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chungju, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Chungju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chungju costs $1,450 versus $1,839 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chungju. 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.