Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Kohima

For one person, living is cheaper in Kohima: $369 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Kohima
🇮🇳 India
$369
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Kohima

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $369 in Kohima.

  • Nosara $1,839
  • Kohima $369

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $577 in Kohima.

  • Nosara $2,828
  • Kohima $577

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $785 in Kohima.

  • Nosara $3,818
  • Kohima $785

Living in Nosara is roughly 399% more expensive than in Kohima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Kohima is 73% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.35 ₡5,539
$2.34 ₹222
427.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 ₡27.4K
$8.66 ₹822
606.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 ₡3,373
$3.68 ₹350
104.35%
Cappuccino
$4.41 ₡1,978
$1.60 ₹152
175.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 ₡780
$0.40 ₹38.28
335.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₡587
$0.10 ₹9.79
1210.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.28 ₡1,471
$1.26 ₹120
160.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 ₡2,004
$3.44 ₹327
29.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$0.66 ₹62.8
136.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 ₡1,355
$0.41 ₹38.79
636.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$0.54 ₹51.4
364.81%
Eggs
$3.57 ₡1,603
$0.83 ₹78.8
330.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₡3,333
$2.76 ₹262
169.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 ₡4,717
$3.39 ₹322
210.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,265
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ₡1,052
$2.21 ₹209
6.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 ₡720
$0.66 ₹62.7
143.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 ₡2,152
$0.94 ₹89.1
410.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ₡724
$0.67 ₹63.5
140.30%
Potato (1kg)
$3.80 ₡1,703
$0.30 ₹28.42
1166.67%
Onion (1kg)
$3.69 ₡1,657
$0.35 ₹32.90
954.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡507
$0.31 ₹29.31
264.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 ₡1,191
$0.29 ₹27.63
817.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 ₡2,321
$2.13 ₹202
143.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.88 ₡8,916
$7.02 ₹667
183.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$1.64 ₹155
76.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ₡1,626
$2.50 ₹237
45.20%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$3.08 ₹293
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡504
$0.26 ₹24.79
330.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
$7.14 ₹678
917.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.14 ₡958
$0.73 ₹69.1
193.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 ₡703
$0.30 ₹28.81
423.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.52 ₡3,823
$1.35 ₹128
531.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 ₡682
$1.00 ₹94.8
52.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ₡9.7M
$12.3K ₹1.2M
75.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$16.2K ₹1.5M
112.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.3 ₡43.2K
$35.29 ₹3,351
172.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.89 ₡16.1K
$3.19 ₹303
1025.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 ₡24.0K
$6.36 ₹604
742.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.6 ₡32.1K
$14.01 ₹1,330
410.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.91 ₡15.7K
$7.13 ₹677
389.62%
Cinema Ticket
$7.89 ₡3,539
$3.19 ₹303
147.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 ₡221.6K
$27.89 ₹2,649
1671.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$2,260 ₹214.6K
424.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₡24.2K
$17.33 ₹1,646
211.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.8K
$30.67 ₹2,912
80.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$38.15 ₹3,623
104.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6 ₡35.7K
$26.80 ₹2,545
197.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$788 ₡353.4K
$106 ₹10.0K
645.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$794 ₡356.2K
$80.8 ₹7,676
882.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,939 ₡1.8M
$301 ₹28.6K
1207.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 ₡636.5K
$176 ₹16.7K
706.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,912 ₡3.1M
$870 ₹82.6K
694.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,224 ₡549.0K
$512 ₹48.6K
139.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Kohima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 ₡387.3K
$208 ₹19.7K
315.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
7.38
16.80%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Kohima: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$794
Kohima
$81 89.8% $713
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$352
Kohima
$97 72.5% $255
Eating Out
Nosara
$212
Kohima
$64 69.7% $148
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$186
Kohima
$45 75.9% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$120
Kohima
$51 57.7% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$87
Kohima
$20 76.7% $67
Getting Around
Nosara
$87
Kohima
$10 88% $77

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $106 in Kohima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 316% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $9.00 in Kohima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $97.0 per month, with Kohima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇮🇳 Kohima
🕒 Local time
15:46 3:46 PM
03:16 3:16 AM
11 h 30 min ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
115,283
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Kohima 16,050 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Kohima

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 Kohima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kohima cheaper than Nosara?
Kohima is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 399% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Nosara or Kohima?
Average pay runs 316% higher in Nosara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Nosara and Kohima?
Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $106 in Kohima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Nosara or in Kohima?
Dining out is cheaper in Kohima – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Nosara and in Kohima?
All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $369 in Kohima – a 399% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Kohima?
At $369 in Kohima versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kohima but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Kohima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nosara or Kohima more family-friendly?
For families, Kohima is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Kohima?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Kohima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kohima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 399% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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