Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Uijeongbu

For one person, living is cheaper in Uijeongbu: $1,239 a month against $1,846 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara, Costa Rica
Uijeongbu, South Korea
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,846
/mo nomad
Uijeongbu
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,239
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Uijeongbu

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

A single person spends $1,846 per month in Nosara vs $1,239 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,846
  • Uijeongbu $1,239

A couple spends around $2,833 per month in Nosara vs $1,889 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,833
  • Uijeongbu $1,889

A family of three spends $3,820 per month in Nosara vs $2,538 in Uijeongbu, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,820
  • Uijeongbu $2,538

Nosara costs about 49% more than Uijeongbu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Uijeongbu is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.36 ₡5,575
$6.64 ₩8,807
86.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8 ₡27.4K
$34.36 ₩45.6K
76.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.88 ₡3,557
$6.66 ₩8,844
18.32%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₡1,986
$3.72 ₩4,941
18.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡776
$1.54 ₩2,050
11.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 ₡603
$0.75 ₩989
78.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.34 ₡1,505
$3.55 ₩4,705
-5.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 ₡2,048
$4.45 ₩5,900
2.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ₡739
$2.05 ₩2,715
-20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 ₡1,426
$3.15 ₩4,178
0.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 ₡1,080
$2.25 ₩2,992
6.22%
Eggs
$3.47 ₡1,564
$3.32 ₩4,404
4.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.13 ₡3,217
$15.46 ₩20.5K
-53.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.32 ₡4,655
$7.91 ₩10.5K
30.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,302
$11.49 ₩15.2K
21.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,031
$7.62 ₩10.1K
-69.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ₡731
$3.26 ₩4,326
-50.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.81 ₡2,169
$5.67 ₩7,520
-15.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.68 ₡758
$6.17 ₩8,193
-72.77%
Potato (1kg)
$3.91 ₡1,765
$3.59 ₩4,766
8.91%
Onion (1kg)
$3.63 ₡1,640
$2.37 ₩3,146
53.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡509
$2.05 ₩2,719
-44.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 ₡1,188
$1.16 ₩1,544
126.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.02 ₡2,267
$3.41 ₩4,522
47.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.71 ₡8,893
$18.92 ₩25.1K
4.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 ₡1,314
$2.27 ₩3,012
28.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 ₡1,597
$3.23 ₩4,284
9.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 ₡545
$1.14 ₩1,516
6.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.8 ₡33.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.15 ₡969
$3.51 ₩4,656
-38.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ₡738
$0.59 ₩787
176.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.77 ₡3,958
$9.13 ₩12.1K
-3.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡700
$1.40 ₩1,858
10.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K ₡15.3M
$29.5K ₩39.1M
14.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K ₡17.4M
$28.2K ₩37.4M
36.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡43.0K
$210 ₩278.9K
-54.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.29 ₡16.4K
$34.87 ₩46.3K
4.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.0 ₡23.5K
$21.08 ₩28.0K
146.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.6 ₡30.5K
$53.6 ₩71.1K
26.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.55 ₡16.0K
$13.84 ₩18.4K
156.86%
Cinema Ticket
$7.54 ₡3,404
$11.16 ₩14.8K
-32.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$496 ₡224.0K
$373 ₩495.0K
33.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K ₡5.3M
$18.1K ₩24.0M
-34.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 ₡24.9K
$59.2 ₩78.5K
-6.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 ₡25.3K
$32.30 ₩42.9K
73.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.8 ₡35.1K
$71.3 ₩94.7K
9.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.1 ₡35.7K
$81.3 ₩107.9K
-2.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$817 ₡368.9K
$267 ₩354.2K
206.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$806 ₡363.6K
$224 ₩296.8K
260.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,988 ₡1.8M
$487 ₩646.0K
719.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₡644.9K
$411 ₩545.5K
247.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,068 ₡3.2M
$7,146 ₩9.5M
-1.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,197 ₡540.1K
$5,504 ₩7.3M
-78.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Uijeongbu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$888 ₡400.7K
$2,265 ₩3.0M
-60.79%
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 24, 2026

Last update for Uijeongbu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$806
Uijeongbu
$224 72.2% $582
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$351
Uijeongbu
$399 13.7% $48
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Uijeongbu
$154 28% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Uijeongbu
$266 45% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Uijeongbu
$110 8.9% $11
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Uijeongbu
$11 * 87.6% $78
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$83
Uijeongbu
$76 8.2% $6.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Nosara versus $267 in Uijeongbu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Uijeongbu are about 2.6 times higher, 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 in Nosara versus $34 in Uijeongbu. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Nosara vs $399 in Uijeongbu – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇰🇷 Uijeongbu
🕒 Local time
05:51 5:51 AM
20:51 8:51 PM
15 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
463,077
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,327 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.54 USD). 1 EUR = 1,477 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Uijeongbu 13,710 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Uijeongbu

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 Uijeongbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Uijeongbu compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,846 in Nosara, $1,239 in Uijeongbu – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Uijeongbu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,769 per month in Nosara and $1,859 in Uijeongbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Uijeongbu?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Uijeongbu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $267 there versus $817 in Nosara.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Nosara and $34 in Uijeongbu. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Where should families live: Nosara or Uijeongbu?
Families tend to lean toward Uijeongbu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Nosara or Uijeongbu safer for residents?
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.

Nosara vs other spots: cost of living compared

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