Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kashiwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Kashiwa: $1,230 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Kashiwa
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Kashiwa Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Kashiwa

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,230

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kashiwa

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,230 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Kashiwa $1,230

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,857 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Kashiwa $1,857

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,484 in Kashiwa, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Kashiwa $2,484

Nosara costs about 49% more than Kashiwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Kashiwa is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$6.44 ¥1,018

91.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$24.90 ¥3,933

145.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.13 ¥811

46.59%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.46 ¥546

27.46%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.69 ¥108

152.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.79 ¥125

65.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$2.47 ¥391

32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$3.13 ¥494

42.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.22 ¥193

27.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.13 ¥179

167.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.59 ¥567

-30.08%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.86 ¥293

91.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$6.39 ¥1,010

16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$6.06 ¥958

73.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$9.37 ¥1,480

49.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$5.66 ¥893

-58.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.71 ¥428

-40.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.94 ¥465

63.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$4.09 ¥646

-60.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.49 ¥394

52.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.64 ¥417

39.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.60 ¥95.4

88.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.61 ¥96.6

336.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.88 ¥614

33.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$6.35 ¥1,003

213.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.80 ¥284

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.91 ¥301

90.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.44 ¥228

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$53.4 ¥8,439

35.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.10 ¥490

-30.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.56 ¥246

0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$20.60 ¥3,255

-58.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.00 ¥159

52.00%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

-0.14%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$18.5K ¥2.9M

86.86%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$127 ¥20.1K

-24.20%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$24.24 ¥3,830

48.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$31.65 ¥5,000

69.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$52.9 ¥8,356

35.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$12.83 ¥2,027

-38.50%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$628 ¥99.2K

-21.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$14.7K ¥2.3M

-19.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$62.1 ¥9,813

-13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$37.38 ¥5,906

48.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$61.5 ¥9,714

26.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$101 ¥15.9K

-20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$523 ¥82.6K

50.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$400 ¥63.2K

98.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,123 ¥177.5K

250.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$743 ¥117.5K

90.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$4,183 ¥660.9K

65.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,934 ¥305.5K

-36.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$2,653 ¥419.2K

-67.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

2.64

226.52%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kashiwa: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Kashiwa

$400 32.5% 49.6% $394

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Kashiwa

$248 20.1% 29.7% $105

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Kashiwa

$133 10.8% 37.2% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Kashiwa

$183 14.9% 1.5% $2.8

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Kashiwa

$118 9.6% 1.9% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kashiwa

$79 6.4% 10.1% $8.8

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Kashiwa

$70 5.7% 19.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $523 in Kashiwa. 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 207% higher in Kashiwa, 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 $25.00 in Kashiwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $248 – making Kashiwa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇯🇵 Kashiwa

🕒 Local time

17:20 5:20 PM

08:20 8:20 AM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

417,394

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, 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).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Kashiwa 13,030 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kashiwa

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 Kashiwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,230 in Kashiwa – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,845 in Kashiwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $628 in Kashiwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kashiwa, where all-in costs run around $1,230, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Kashiwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,230 in Kashiwa to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kashiwa. 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.