Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Seongnam

For one person, living is cheaper in Seongnam: $1,405 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 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
68

Cost of Living Index in Seongnam
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Seongnam Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Seongnam

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,405

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Seongnam

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,405 in Seongnam, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Seongnam $1,405

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,330 in Seongnam, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Seongnam $2,330

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,255 in Seongnam, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Seongnam $3,255

Nosara costs about 31% more than Seongnam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nosara and Seongnam sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Seongnam by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$6.61 ₩8,787

86.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$40.26 ₩53.5K

51.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.67 ₩8,870

12.74%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$4.16 ₩5,528

6.01%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.59 ₩2,120

9.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.82 ₩1,093

59.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.56 ₩4,727

-7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$3.81 ₩5,065

17.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.26 ₩3,005

-30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.08 ₩4,098

-1.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.59 ₩4,779

-30.08%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.61 ₩4,804

-1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$9.24 ₩12.3K

-19.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.73 ₩10.3K

36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$21.02 ₩27.9K

-33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$7.75 ₩10.3K

-69.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$3.42 ₩4,552

-52.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$5.87 ₩7,808

-18.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$6.99 ₩9,288

-76.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$3.60 ₩4,793

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.52 ₩3,354

46.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.80 ₩3,725

-59.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.33 ₩1,766

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.45 ₩4,584

50.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$18.42 ₩24.5K

7.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.09 ₩2,776

38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.82 ₩2,422

99.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.03 ₩1,368

8.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.64 ₩4,841

-41.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.66 ₩876

137.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$8.86 ₩11.8K

-3.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.36 ₩1,811

11.76%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$29.3K ₩39.0M

-26.27%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$28.4K ₩37.8M

21.53%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$207 ₩275.9K

-53.59%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$36.39 ₩48.4K

-1.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$20.67 ₩27.5K

159.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$51.6 ₩68.6K

38.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$12.09 ₩16.1K

188.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$10.99 ₩14.6K

-28.21%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$532 ₩707.0K

-7.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$17.7K ₩23.5M

-32.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$57.6 ₩76.6K

-6.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$32.21 ₩42.8K

72.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$69.7 ₩92.6K

11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$81.8 ₩108.8K

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$478 ₩635.4K

64.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$366 ₩486.9K

116.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,168 ₩1.6M

237.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,035 ₩1.4M

37.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$7,163 ₩9.5M

-3.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$5,429 ₩7.2M

-77.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.08

111.27%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seongnam: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Seongnam

$366 26.1% 53.9% $428

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Seongnam

$423 30.1% 20.2% $71

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Seongnam

$158 11.2% 25.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Seongnam

$265 18.8% 42.4% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Seongnam

$109 7.7% 9.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Seongnam

$74 5.2% 15.8% $14

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Seongnam

$11 * 0.8% 87.3% $76

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $478 in Seongnam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $40.00 in Seongnam. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $423 in Seongnam – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇷 Seongnam

🕒 Local time

20:01 8:01 PM

11:01 11:01 AM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

967,510

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, 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).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Seongnam 13,740 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Seongnam

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 Seongnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,405 in Seongnam – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,108 in Seongnam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $40.00 in Seongnam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seongnam, where all-in costs run around $1,405, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Seongnam 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 $1,405 in Seongnam 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 Seongnam. 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.