Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Songdo-dong

For one person, living is cheaper in Songdo-dong: $1,444 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Songdo-dong
Learn more

Songdo-dong Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Songdo-dong

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,444

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Songdo-dong

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 Songdo-dong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,444 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Songdo-dong $1,444

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,292 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Songdo-dong $2,292

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,140 in Songdo-dong, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Songdo-dong $3,140

Nosara costs about 27% more than Songdo-dong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Nosara and Songdo-dong sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Songdo-dong by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$5.87 ₩7,798

110.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$34.90 ₩46.4K

75.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.63 ₩8,816

13.42%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.62 ₩4,815

21.82%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.53 ₩2,032

13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.58 ₩777

125.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.06 ₩4,063

7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$4.56 ₩6,067

-1.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.20 ₩2,925

-29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.06 ₩4,066

-1.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.35 ₩3,126

6.81%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.33 ₩4,429

7.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$15.79 ₩21.0K

-52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.80 ₩10.4K

34.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$11.34 ₩15.1K

23.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$7.80 ₩10.4K

-69.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$3.18 ₩4,234

-49.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$7.67 ₩10.2K

-37.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$6.78 ₩9,017

-76.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$3.55 ₩4,720

7.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.42 ₩3,216

52.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.04 ₩2,718

-44.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.47 ₩1,960

80.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.29 ₩4,379

57.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$18.48 ₩24.6K

7.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.29 ₩3,043

26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$3.64 ₩4,836

-41.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.61 ₩817

157.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.35 ₩1,790

12.59%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$29.2K ₩38.8M

-25.95%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$35.7K ₩47.4M

-3.25%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$210 ₩278.6K

-54.05%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$43.59 ₩58.0K

-17.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$20.61 ₩27.4K

160.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$11.32 ₩15.1K

-30.30%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$380 ₩505.4K

30.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$17.9K ₩23.8M

-33.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$64.3 ₩85.5K

-16.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$64.7 ₩86.0K

-14.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$75.5 ₩100.4K

3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$99.0 ₩131.6K

-19.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$453 ₩602.6K

75.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,914 ₩2.5M

105.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,064 ₩1.4M

33.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$3,372 ₩4.5M

-74.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.1

110.24%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Songdo-dong: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Songdo-dong

$453 31.4% 42.9% $341

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Songdo-dong

$408 * 28.3% 15.9% $56

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Songdo-dong

$143 9.9% 32.4% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Songdo-dong

$274 19% 47.4% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Songdo-dong

$137 9.5% 13.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Songdo-dong

$23 * 1.6% 74.1% $65

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Songdo-dong

$6.7 * 0.5% 92.3% $80

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 291% higher in Songdo-dong, 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 $35.00 in Songdo-dong. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $408 in Songdo-dong – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇷 Songdo-dong

🕒 Local time

16:21 4:21 PM

07:21 7:21 AM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 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 17, 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 17, 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 Songdo-dong 13,770 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Songdo-dong

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 Songdo-dong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,444 in Songdo-dong – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,166 in Songdo-dong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara and $35.00 in Songdo-dong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Songdo-dong, where all-in costs run around $1,444, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Songdo-dong 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 $1,444 in Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong. 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.