Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ongjin

For one person, living is cheaper in Ongjin: $710 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 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
35

Cost of Living Index in Ongjin
Learn more

Ongjin Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Ongjin

🇰🇵 North Korea

$710

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ongjin

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $710 in Ongjin, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Ongjin $710

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,126 in Ongjin, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Ongjin $1,126

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,543 in Ongjin, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Ongjin $1,543

Nosara costs about 159% more than Ongjin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Ongjin is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$2.79 $2.79

337.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$23.34 $23.34

157.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$7.98 $7.98

-5.51%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$1.16 $1.16

271.55%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.98 $0.98

75.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.98 $0.98

37.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$6.64 $6.64

-51.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$2.26 $2.26

98.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$0.93 $0.93

68.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$1.57 $1.57

101.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$2.26 $2.26

7.08%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$3.28 $3.28

8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$4.66 $4.66

59.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$2.29 $2.29

355.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$5.67 $5.67

140.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$6.80 $6.80

-65.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$4.63 $4.63

-65.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$2.34 $2.34

102.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$2.29 $2.29

-27.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$3.50 $3.50

6.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$3.33 $3.33

7.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$2.31 $2.31

-52.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.43 $0.43

493.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$4.67 $4.67

6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$7.81 $7.81

156.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.11 $1.11

151.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$2.23 $2.23

58.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$1.00 $1.00

19.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$39.98 $39.98

80.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$1.57 $1.57

42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$2.23 $2.23

-30.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$41.01 $41.01

-78.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.75 $0.75

109.33%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$23.0K $23.0K

-5.16%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$27.9K $27.9K

24.16%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$33.78 $33.78

176.64%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$11.46 $11.46

206.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$45.71 $45.71

12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$43.61 $43.61

63.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$14.96 $14.96

136.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$7.75 $7.75

1.16%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$109 $109

348.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$2,117 $2,117

461.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$22.72 $22.72

135.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$27.97 $27.97

99.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$61.6 $61.6

28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$84.1 $84.1

-6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$89.2 $89.2

781.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$91.3 $91.3

753.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$2,244 $2,244

72.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$136 $136

933.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$1,691 $1,691

312.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$1,423 $1,423

-15.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$214 $214

308.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

7.11

21.24%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ongjin: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Ongjin

$91 12.7% 88.3% $689

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Ongjin

$229 31.8% 34.4% $120

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Ongjin

$106 14.7% 49.5% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Ongjin

$91 12.6% 49.5% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Ongjin

$88 12.3% 26.6% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Ongjin

$59 8.2% 32.1% $28

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Ongjin

$57 7.9% 34.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $89.2 in Ongjin. 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 309% 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 Ongjin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $229 – making Ongjin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇵 Ongjin

🕒 Local time

01:11 1:11 AM

16:11 4:11 PM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

152,878

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Nosara Ongjin 13,790 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Ongjin

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 Ongjin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $710 in Ongjin – roughly 159% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,065 in Ongjin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 80% less in Ongjin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $109 in Ongjin. 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 Ongjin, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Ongjin 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 $710 in Ongjin to $1,837 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 Ongjin. 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.