Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Shizuoka

For one person, living is cheaper in Shizuoka: $1,138 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 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
55

Cost of Living Index in Shizuoka
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Shizuoka Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Shizuoka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Shizuoka

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,138 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Shizuoka $1,138

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,789 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Shizuoka $1,789

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,441 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Shizuoka $2,441

Nosara costs about 62% more than Shizuoka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Shizuoka is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$6.42 ¥1,015

92.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$31.81 ¥5,026

92.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.08 ¥802

48.03%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.96 ¥468

48.99%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.97 ¥152

79.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.76 ¥119

72.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$2.75 ¥435

19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$3.83 ¥605

16.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.51 ¥239

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.25 ¥198

141.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$4.49 ¥709

-44.10%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.83 ¥289

95.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$7.11 ¥1,123

4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$5.40 ¥853

94.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$14.11 ¥2,229

-0.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.29 ¥519

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.93 ¥305

-16.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$3.42 ¥541

40.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$3.13 ¥495

-48.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.51 ¥239

151.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.13 ¥179

226.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.11 ¥176

1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.86 ¥135

209.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.86 ¥610

34.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$8.70 ¥1,375

128.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.48 ¥233

95.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.24 ¥512

12.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.79 ¥283

-37.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$53.9 ¥8,514

34.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.46 ¥546

-38.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.86 ¥293

-15.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$19.01 ¥3,003

-55.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.04 ¥165

46.15%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-0.36%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

125.95%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$138 ¥21.8K

-30.25%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$15.18 ¥2,398

136.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$30.16 ¥4,764

77.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$52.6 ¥8,316

36.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$10.82 ¥1,709

222.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$12.21 ¥1,928

-35.38%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$320 ¥50.5K

54.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

-10.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$18.49 ¥2,921

191.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$21.38 ¥3,378

159.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$61.6 ¥9,725

26.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$90.5 ¥14.3K

-12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$331 ¥52.3K

138.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$333 ¥52.6K

138.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,084 ¥171.2K

263.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$731 ¥115.5K

94.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$4,146 ¥655.0K

66.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$1,741 ¥275.0K

-29.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$2,232 ¥352.7K

-61.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

762.00%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Shizuoka

$333 29.3% 58.1% $462

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Shizuoka

$254 22.3% 28% $99

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Shizuoka

$131 11.5% 38.4% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Shizuoka

$183 16.1% 1.3% $2.4

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Shizuoka

$86 7.6% 28.1% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Shizuoka

$77 6.8% 11.8% $10

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Shizuoka

$74 6.5% 15.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $331 in Shizuoka. 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 159% higher in Shizuoka, 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 $32.00 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $254 – making Shizuoka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇯🇵 Shizuoka

🕒 Local time

02:11 2:11 AM

17:11 5:11 PM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

701,803

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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 →

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Between locations

Nosara Shizuoka 13,200 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Shizuoka

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 Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,138 in Shizuoka – roughly 62% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,706 in Shizuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 35% less in Shizuoka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $320 in Shizuoka. 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 Shizuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Shizuoka 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 $1,138 in Shizuoka 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 Shizuoka. 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.