Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Timika

For one person, living is cheaper in Timika: $618 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 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
30

Cost of Living Index in Timika
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Timika Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Timika

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$618

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Timika

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $618 in Timika, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Timika $618

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $978 in Timika, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Timika $978

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,337 in Timika, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Timika $1,337

Nosara costs about 197% more than Timika, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Timika is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$1.70 Rp 30.4K

618.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$13.73 Rp 245.6K

338.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$3.25 Rp 58.2K

132.00%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

191.22%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$0.42 Rp 7,522

309.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.23 Rp 4,109

486.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$2.36 Rp 42.2K

37.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$3.50 Rp 62.6K

28.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

35.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

199.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

178.16%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

142.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$7.23 Rp 129.3K

2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

259.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$7.40 Rp 132.3K

84.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

28.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

187.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

37.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$1.28 Rp 23.0K

190.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

80.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

52.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.39 Rp 7,063

553.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

88.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$20.61 Rp 368.8K

-2.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

49.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$2.98 Rp 53.4K

18.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.29 Rp 5,246

310.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$0.48 Rp 8,519

366.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$0.35 Rp 6,173

342.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

215.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

98.73%

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

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$23.0K Rp 410.7M

-5.03%

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

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$31.0K Rp 553.9M

11.87%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

43.59%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$4.39 Rp 78.5K

699.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$19.32 Rp 345.7K

166.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$19.53 Rp 349.3K

265.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$8.13 Rp 145.5K

335.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$2.76 Rp 49.4K

184.06%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

431.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$7,610 Rp 136.2M

56.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$44.09 Rp 788.8K

21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$28.50 Rp 509.8K

95.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

10.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$225 Rp 4.0M

249.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$148 Rp 2.7M

425.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$553 Rp 9.9M

598.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$357 Rp 6.4M

293.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

492.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$812 Rp 14.5M

47.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

9.46

-8.88%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Timika: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Timika

$148 24% 81% $632

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Timika

$193 31.2% 44.8% $157

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Timika

$63 10.1% 70.1% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Timika

$89 14.3% 50.7% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Timika

$98 15.8% 18.5% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Timika

$25 4.1% 71.2% $62

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Timika

$3.4 * 0.6% 96.1% $83

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $225 in Timika. 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $14.00 in Timika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $193 – making Timika the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇮🇩 Timika

🕒 Local time

02:14 2:14 AM

17:14 5:14 PM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

142,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, 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).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,890 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,065 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Timika 15,290 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Timika

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 Timika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $618 in Timika – roughly 197% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $927 in Timika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Timika, 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 $60.0 in Nosara and $14.00 in Timika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Timika, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Timika 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 $618 in Timika 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 Timika. 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.