Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kitakyushu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kitakyushu: $1,240 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Kitakyushu
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Kitakyushu Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Kitakyushu

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,240

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kitakyushu

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,240 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Kitakyushu $1,240

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,919 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Kitakyushu $1,919

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,599 in Kitakyushu, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Kitakyushu $2,599

Nosara costs about 48% more than Kitakyushu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Kitakyushu is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$7.30 ¥1,153

69.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$33.63 ¥5,314

81.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.49 ¥868

36.98%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.32 ¥525

32.83%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.99 ¥157

75.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.75 ¥118

74.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.00 ¥475

9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.20 ¥348

103.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.49 ¥236

4.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.32 ¥209

128.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$5.31 ¥839

-52.73%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.30 ¥363

55.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$9.46 ¥1,494

-21.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$5.29 ¥835

98.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$18.56 ¥2,932

-24.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.71 ¥586

-36.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.78 ¥282

-9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.91 ¥459

64.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$2.88 ¥455

-44.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.20 ¥347

72.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.53 ¥399

45.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.06 ¥168

6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.92 ¥145

189.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.97 ¥626

30.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$6.44 ¥1,017

208.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.72 ¥272

68.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.70 ¥269

113.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.65 ¥261

-32.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$53.2 ¥8,405

36.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.91 ¥617

-45.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$2.09 ¥331

-24.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$17.98 ¥2,840

-52.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.04 ¥164

46.15%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$20.8K ¥3.3M

3.88%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$17.8K ¥2.8M

94.10%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$195 ¥30.9K

-50.71%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$24.96 ¥3,944

43.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$32.31 ¥5,105

65.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$51.4 ¥8,126

39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$3.22 ¥508

984.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$11.19 ¥1,768

-29.49%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$371 ¥58.7K

33.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$12.4K ¥2.0M

-4.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$49.57 ¥7,832

8.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$25.75 ¥4,069

115.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$66.4 ¥10.5K

17.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$54.8 ¥8,658

45.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$522 ¥82.5K

50.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$333 ¥52.6K

138.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,106 ¥174.7K

256.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$725 ¥114.6K

95.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$4,174 ¥659.5K

65.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,729 ¥273.1K

-29.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,510 ¥238.5K

-42.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

1.69

410.06%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kitakyushu: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Kitakyushu

$333 26.9% 58.1% $461

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Kitakyushu

$276 22.3% 21.6% $76

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Kitakyushu

$141 11.4% 33.4% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Kitakyushu

$253 20.4% 36% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Kitakyushu

$88 7.1% 26.4% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Kitakyushu

$74 6% 15.5% $14

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Kitakyushu

$74 6% 14.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $522 in Kitakyushu. 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 75% higher in Kitakyushu, 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 $34.00 in Kitakyushu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $276 – making Kitakyushu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇯🇵 Kitakyushu

🕒 Local time

01:02 1:02 AM

16:02 4:02 PM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

939,029

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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 Kitakyushu 13,800 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Kitakyushu

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 Kitakyushu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,240 in Kitakyushu – roughly 48% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,859 in Kitakyushu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 28% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $34.00 in Kitakyushu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Kitakyushu 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 $1,240 in Kitakyushu 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 Kitakyushu. 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.