Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kien Giang

For one person, living is cheaper in Kien Giang: $748 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
36

Cost of Living Index in Kien Giang
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Kien Giang Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Kien Giang

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$748

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kien Giang

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $748 in Kien Giang, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Kien Giang $748

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,243 in Kien Giang, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Kien Giang $1,243

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,739 in Kien Giang, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Kien Giang $1,739

Nosara costs about 146% more than Kien Giang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Kien Giang is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,498

$1.95 ₫50.5K

526.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$22.70 ₫588.8K

165.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,391

$4.63 ₫120.1K

62.85%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,937

$1.84 ₫47.7K

134.24%

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

$1.72 ₡772

$0.48 ₫12.4K

258.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡606

$0.34 ₫8,884

297.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,456

$1.07 ₫27.7K

202.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,014

$1.76 ₫45.6K

154.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡705

$1.59 ₫41.2K

-1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,426

$1.04 ₫27.0K

204.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,089

$0.59 ₫15.3K

310.17%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,605

$1.58 ₫40.9K

125.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,342

$11.38 ₫295.2K

-34.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,687

$3.51 ₫91.1K

196.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,143

$10.27 ₫266.5K

33.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,042

$3.05 ₫79.0K

-23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡726

$1.17 ₫30.3K

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,133

$1.06 ₫27.5K

347.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡746

$1.07 ₫27.6K

55.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,675

$1.18 ₫30.6K

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,608

$1.15 ₫29.8K

210.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡496

$0.72 ₫18.6K

52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,147

$0.55 ₫14.3K

363.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,227

$1.25 ₫32.4K

296.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,001

$12.49 ₫324.0K

60.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,253

$0.90 ₫23.5K

210.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,586

$1.52 ₫39.4K

132.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡536

$0.33 ₫8,625

260.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.4K

$7.04 ₫182.7K

923.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,009

$0.68 ₫17.6K

229.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡699

$0.52 ₫13.5K

198.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,985

$3.06 ₫79.3K

189.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡706

$0.91 ₫23.7K

72.53%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$31.0K ₫803.2M

-29.60%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$31.2K ₫809.3M

10.99%

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

$93.5 ₡42.0K

$30.32 ₫786.3K

208.21%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$5.78 ₫149.8K

507.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$3.89 ₫100.8K

1223.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.1K

$21.86 ₫566.9K

226.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡15.9K

$7.18 ₫186.1K

393.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,528

$3.18 ₫82.5K

146.54%

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

$490 ₡220.2K

$159 ₫4.1M

208.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$23.5K ₫608.6M

-49.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$51.5 ₫1.3M

4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$34.13 ₫885.2K

63.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$90.9 ₫2.4M

-12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.5K

$95.9 ₫2.5M

-17.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡353.6K

$404 ₫10.5M

94.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡350.8K

$272 ₫7.1M

186.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$737 ₫19.1M

423.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡633.0K

$572 ₫14.8M

146.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$3,250 ₫84.3M

114.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡540.2K

$1,316 ₫34.1M

-8.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡394.2K

$311 ₫8.1M

182.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

8.64

-0.23%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kien Giang: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Kien Giang

$272 37% 65.1% $507

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Kien Giang

$197 26.8% 43.6% $152

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Kien Giang

$64 8.7% 69.6% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Kien Giang

$40 5.4% 77.8% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Kien Giang

$123 16.7% 1.9% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kien Giang

$28 3.8% 67.6% $59

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kien Giang

$12 1.6% 86.6% $75

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $404 in Kien Giang. 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 182% 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $23.00 in Kien Giang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $197 – making Kien Giang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇻🇳 Kien Giang

🕒 Local time

23:36 11:36 PM

12:36 12:36 PM

13 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 25,934 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,064 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Kien Giang 16,700 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kien Giang

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 Kien Giang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nosara is pricier by about 146%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,122 in Kien Giang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 924% less in Kien Giang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $159 in Kien Giang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kien Giang, where all-in costs run around $748, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Kien Giang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kien Giang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kien Giang. 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.