Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Keelung

For one person, living is cheaper in Keelung: $978 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Keelung
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$978
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Keelung

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $978 in Keelung.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Keelung $978

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $1,717 in Keelung.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Keelung $1,717

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $2,457 in Keelung.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Keelung $2,457

Living in Nosara is roughly 88% more expensive than in Keelung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Keelung is 28% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$4.65 NT$151
165.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$31.92 NT$1,035
91.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$4.85 NT$157
55.05%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$2.85 NT$92.4
54.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$1.03 NT$33.31
68.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$0.73 NT$23.60
79.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$1.54 NT$50.1
112.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$2.81 NT$91.1
59.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$3.24 NT$105
-51.85%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$1.39 NT$45.01
117.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$1.12 NT$36.44
124.11%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$2.22 NT$72.1
60.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$29.36 NT$952
-74.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$5.83 NT$189
80.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
$17.08 NT$554
-18.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$4.35 NT$141
-45.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.89 NT$61.4
-14.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$3.02 NT$98.0
58.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$2.16 NT$70.1
-25.46%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$1.19 NT$38.69
219.33%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$1.90 NT$61.6
94.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$2.42 NT$78.5
-53.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$0.91 NT$29.60
192.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$3.76 NT$122
37.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$9.24 NT$300
115.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$1.09 NT$35.21
166.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$2.56 NT$83.0
41.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$0.64 NT$20.87
75.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$63.7 NT$2,064
14.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$2.61 NT$84.7
-18.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$0.96 NT$31.16
63.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$9.61 NT$311
-11.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$1.03 NT$33.31
47.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$33.3K NT$1.1M
-35.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$23.0K NT$744.6K
50.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$41.52 NT$1,346
131.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$15.14 NT$491
137.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$11.07 NT$359
384.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$34.14 NT$1,107
109.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$32.11 NT$1,041
8.72%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$7.92 NT$257
-0.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$336 NT$10.9K
47.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$16.9K NT$546.4K
-29.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$73.0 NT$2,368
-26.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$36.15 NT$1,172
53.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$47.16 NT$1,529
65.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$31.66 NT$1,027
151.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$401 NT$13.0K
96.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$254 NT$8,247
212.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$978 NT$31.7K
302.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$731 NT$23.7K
94.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$3,385 NT$109.8K
104.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$2,352 NT$76.3K
-47.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Keelung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$2,436 NT$79.0K
-64.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
2.27
279.74%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Keelung: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Keelung
$254 68% $540
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Keelung
$341 3.1% $11
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Keelung
$106 49.8% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Keelung
$68 63.5% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Keelung
$85 29.6% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Keelung
$50 42.8% $37
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Keelung
$74 15.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $401 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 182% 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 $32.00 in Keelung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $341 per month, with Keelung cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇹🇼 Keelung
🕒 Local time
14:48 2:48 PM
04:48 4:48 AM
14 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
372,100
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Keelung 15,110 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Keelung

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 Keelung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Nosara and in Keelung?
Nosara and Keelung differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($1,839 vs $978 including rent). Keelung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 182% lower in Keelung. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Nosara and in Keelung?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $401 in Keelung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Keelung – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $978 in Keelung versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Keelung but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Keelung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Keelung?
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.
Is Nosara or Keelung safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Keelung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Nosara or Keelung?
Expats usually find Keelung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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