Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kanglung

For one person, living is cheaper in Kanglung: $105 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $20,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Kanglung

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$105

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kanglung

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Nosara versus $105 in Kanglung.

Nosara $1,837
Kanglung $105

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Nosara versus $174 in Kanglung.

Nosara $2,775
Kanglung $174

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,712 in Nosara versus $243 in Kanglung.

Nosara $3,712
Kanglung $243

Living in Nosara is roughly 1650% more expensive than in Kanglung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 37% above, Kanglung is 92% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

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

$1.72 ₡773

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$0.52 BTN 50.1

509.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.22 BTN 118

192.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$2.23 BTN 216

233.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$2.25 BTN 218

363.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$2.15 BTN 209

535.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$2.19 BTN 212

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$2.22 BTN 215

-27.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.23 BTN 216

112.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$2.19 BTN 212

-24.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$1.03 BTN 99.7

6.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$1.02 BTN 98.6

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.46 BTN 142

91.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$1.02 BTN 99.3

246.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

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

$490 ₡220.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kanglung: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Kanglung

–

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Kanglung

–

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Kanglung

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Kanglung

–

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Kanglung

–

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kanglung

–

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kanglung

–

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇹 Kanglung

🕒 Local time

23:27 11:27 PM

11:27 11:27 AM

12 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.32 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.88 BTN (100 BTN = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Kanglung 15,860 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kanglung

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 Kanglung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara and Kanglung differ by about 1650% in total monthly costs ($1,837 vs $105 including rent). Kanglung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,756 in Nosara and $157 in Kanglung to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 235% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,837 per month in Nosara versus $105 in Kanglung – a 1650% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $105 in Kanglung versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kanglung but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Kanglung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Kanglung 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 Kanglung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1650% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.