Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kepong

For one person, living is cheaper in Kepong: $909 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 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
44

Cost of Living Index in Kepong
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Kepong Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Kepong

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$909

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kepong

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $909 in Kepong, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Kepong $909

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,366 in Kepong, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Kepong $1,366

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,823 in Kepong, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Kepong $1,823

Nosara costs about 102% more than Kepong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Kepong is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$3.75 MYR 15.31

229.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$24.50 MYR 100.0

149.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$4.94 MYR 20.13

52.23%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.01 MYR 12.28

46.51%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.87 MYR 3.55

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.45 MYR 1.82

191.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.40 MYR 13.86

-3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$5.84 MYR 23.81

-23.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.76 MYR 7.18

-11.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.04 MYR 4.24

190.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.42 MYR 5.81

76.76%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.80 MYR 7.34

98.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$9.81 MYR 40.00

-24.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$3.30 MYR 13.47

218.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$9.58 MYR 39.08

45.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.31 MYR 13.51

-29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.69 MYR 6.91

-4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.71 MYR 11.06

77.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.70 MYR 6.93

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.47 MYR 5.99

158.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.66 MYR 6.77

122.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.32 MYR 5.37

-14.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.55 MYR 2.22

383.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$4.17 MYR 17.00

24.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$13.90 MYR 56.7

43.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.67 MYR 10.90

8.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.99 MYR 12.20

21.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.82 MYR 3.34

36.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$12.06 MYR 49.18

502.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.00 MYR 4.09

114.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.38 MYR 1.56

313.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$9.05 MYR 36.91

-5.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.86 MYR 3.53

76.74%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$41.3K MYR 168.5K

-47.67%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$32.0K MYR 130.6K

7.81%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$49.51 MYR 202

94.49%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$8.27 MYR 33.74

333.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$27.27 MYR 111

96.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$39.01 MYR 159

83.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$6.74 MYR 27.48

417.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$4.86 MYR 19.82

62.35%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$164 MYR 668

201.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$4,528 MYR 18.5K

161.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$54.7 MYR 223

-1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$24.36 MYR 99.4

127.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$82.3 MYR 336

-5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$84.5 MYR 345

-5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$404 MYR 1,649

95.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$303 MYR 1,235

162.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$668 MYR 2,726

489.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$482 MYR 1,967

194.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,997 MYR 8,147

246.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,073 MYR 4,378

14.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$644 MYR 2,628

34.07%

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 Kepong: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Kepong

$303 33.3% 61.9% $491

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Kepong

$228 25.1% 35.2% $124

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Kepong

$115 12.6% 45.8% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Kepong

$85 9.4% 54.2% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Kepong

$111 12.2% 7.8% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kepong

$49 5.4% 44.2% $39

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Kepong

$18 2% 79.1% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $404 in Kepong. 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 34% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $25.00 in Kepong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $228 – making Kepong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇾 Kepong

🕒 Local time

22:09 10:09 PM

12:09 12:09 PM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

85,960

💱 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 Kepong 18,340 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kepong

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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $909 in Kepong – roughly 102% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,363 in Kepong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 502% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $164 in Kepong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Kepong 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 $909 in Kepong 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 Kepong. 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.