Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Lumut, Perak

For one person, living is cheaper in Lumut, Perak: $987 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 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
48

Cost of Living Index in Lumut, Perak
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Lumut, Perak Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Lumut, Perak

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$987

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Lumut, Perak

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $987 in Lumut, Perak.

Nosara $1,839
Lumut, Perak $987

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $1,449 in Lumut, Perak.

Nosara $2,828
Lumut, Perak $1,449

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,910 in Lumut, Perak.

Nosara $3,818
Lumut, Perak $1,910

Living in Nosara is roughly 86% more expensive than in Lumut, Perak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Lumut, Perak is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$3.56 MYR 14.52

246.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$12.21 MYR 49.79

401.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$4.92 MYR 20.06

52.85%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.97 MYR 12.14

48.48%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.83 MYR 3.39

109.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.38 MYR 1.56

244.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.84 MYR 15.65

-14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$5.97 MYR 24.34

-25.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.14 MYR 8.73

-27.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.07 MYR 4.38

182.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.02 MYR 8.25

24.26%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.46 MYR 10.05

45.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$13.82 MYR 56.4

-46.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$4.38 MYR 17.88

140.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$9.89 MYR 40.36

41.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.35 MYR 13.68

-29.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.83 MYR 7.45

-12.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$2.25 MYR 9.18

113.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.60 MYR 6.53

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.28 MYR 5.24

196.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.35 MYR 5.52

173.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.18 MYR 4.82

-4.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.66 MYR 2.68

303.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$4.39 MYR 17.90

18.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$19.67 MYR 80.2

1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$3.51 MYR 14.31

-17.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$5.03 MYR 20.51

-27.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.64 MYR 2.62

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$11.47 MYR 46.78

533.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.23 MYR 5.03

73.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.21 MYR 4.92

29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$4.92 MYR 20.06

73.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$0.88 MYR 3.57

72.73%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$42.2K MYR 172.2K

-48.81%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

1.52%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$61.4 MYR 251

56.75%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$8.79 MYR 35.87

308.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$26.41 MYR 108

102.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$37.77 MYR 154

89.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$6.93 MYR 28.29

403.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$5.12 MYR 20.89

54.10%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$303 MYR 1,236

63.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$12.9K MYR 52.6K

-8.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$70.9 MYR 289

-23.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$41.12 MYR 168

34.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$87.5 MYR 357

-10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$95.2 MYR 388

-16.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$406 MYR 1,657

93.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$299 MYR 1,222

165.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$686 MYR 2,798

474.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$475 MYR 1,940

198.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,306 MYR 9,407

199.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,183 MYR 4,824

3.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$381 MYR 1,555

126.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.18

106.22%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Lumut, Perak

$299 30.4% 62.3% $495

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Lumut, Perak

$274 27.8% 22.2% $78

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Lumut, Perak

$115 11.6% 45.8% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Lumut, Perak

$97 9.8% 48% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Lumut, Perak

$133 13.4% 10.4% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Lumut, Perak

$48 4.9% 45% $39

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Lumut, Perak

$21 2.2% 75.6% $66

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $406 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 127% 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 $12.00 in Lumut, Perak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $274 per month, with Lumut, Perak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇲🇾 Lumut, Perak

🕒 Local time

23:08 11:08 PM

13:08 1:08 PM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

39,595

💱 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 Lumut, Perak 18,290 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Lumut, Perak

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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 127% higher in Nosara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $788 in Nosara versus $406 in Lumut, Perak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $987 in Lumut, Perak – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $987 in Lumut, Perak versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lumut, Perak but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Lumut, Perak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lumut, Perak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $987 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lumut, Perak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Lumut, Perak are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lumut, Perak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.