Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Taoyuan

For one person, living is cheaper in Taoyuan: $1,200 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 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
58

Cost of Living Index in Taoyuan
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Taoyuan Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Taoyuan

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,200

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Taoyuan

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,200 in Taoyuan, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Taoyuan $1,200

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,816 in Taoyuan, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Taoyuan $1,816

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,433 in Taoyuan, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Taoyuan $2,433

Nosara costs about 53% more than Taoyuan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Taoyuan is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$4.23 NT$137

191.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$24.93 NT$808

145.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.74 NT$186

31.01%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.97 NT$96.2

48.48%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.02 NT$33.18

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.71 NT$22.97

84.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.84 NT$59.8

78.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.30 NT$74.6

94.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.84 NT$92.2

-45.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.22 NT$39.64

147.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.67 NT$86.5

-5.99%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.17 NT$70.4

64.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$9.22 NT$299

-19.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.55 NT$245

39.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$21.09 NT$684

-33.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$3.83 NT$124

-38.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$2.06 NT$66.8

-21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$3.11 NT$101

54.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$3.10 NT$101

-48.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.47 NT$80.2

53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$2.03 NT$65.9

81.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.33 NT$75.6

-51.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.88 NT$28.53

202.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$5.02 NT$163

3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$10.89 NT$353

82.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.43 NT$46.45

102.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.16 NT$69.9

68.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.55 NT$17.81

103.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$38.07 NT$1,234

90.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.74 NT$88.8

-21.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.76 NT$24.51

106.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$6.99 NT$227

21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.00 NT$32.37

52.00%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$32.8K NT$1.1M

-34.19%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$23.3K NT$755.7K

48.12%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$69.5 NT$2,252

38.63%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$17.72 NT$574

102.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$21.93 NT$711

144.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$33.59 NT$1,089

113.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$7.07 NT$229

393.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$10.94 NT$355

-27.88%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$517 NT$16.8K

-4.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$31.3K NT$1.0M

-62.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$91.3 NT$2,959

-40.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$24.83 NT$805

123.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$81.9 NT$2,655

-4.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$96.2 NT$3,119

-17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$646 NT$20.9K

22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$436 NT$14.1K

82.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$964 NT$31.2K

308.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$729 NT$23.6K

94.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$7,498 NT$243.2K

-7.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$4,782 NT$155.1K

-74.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$1,549 NT$50.2K

-44.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

2.38

262.18%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Taoyuan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Taoyuan

$436 36.3% 45.1% $358

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Taoyuan

$313 26.1% 11.2% $39

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Taoyuan

$107 9% 49.3% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Taoyuan

$109 9.1% 41.3% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Taoyuan

$132 11% 10.2% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Taoyuan

$55 4.6% 36.5% $32

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Taoyuan

$47 3.9% 46.3% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $646 in Taoyuan. 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 79% higher in Taoyuan, 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 $25.00 in Taoyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $313 – making Taoyuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇹🇼 Taoyuan

🕒 Local time

20:06 8:06 PM

10:06 10:06 AM

14 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

2,147,763

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 TWD = 3.08 USD

100 TWD = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Taoyuan 15,150 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Taoyuan

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 Taoyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,200 in Taoyuan – roughly 53% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,800 in Taoyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 91% less in Taoyuan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $517 in Taoyuan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taoyuan, where all-in costs run around $1,200, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Taoyuan 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 $1,200 in Taoyuan 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 Taoyuan. 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.