Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Ulsan

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulsan: $1,339 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 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
65

Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
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Ulsan Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,339

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Ulsan

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,339 in Ulsan, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Ulsan $1,339

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,185 in Ulsan, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Ulsan $2,185

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,030 in Ulsan, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Ulsan $3,030

Nosara costs about 37% more than Ulsan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Ulsan is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$7.62 ₩10.1K

62.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$44.63 ₩59.3K

37.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$5.93 ₩7,882

26.81%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$3.32 ₩4,410

32.83%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.88 ₩1,175

97.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.47 ₩619

178.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.01 ₩4,006

8.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$4.38 ₩5,826

2.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.36 ₩3,139

-33.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.25 ₩4,315

-7.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$3.16 ₩4,207

-20.57%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.73 ₩3,634

30.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$10.88 ₩14.5K

-31.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$10.63 ₩14.1K

-1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$24.54 ₩32.6K

-43.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$11.39 ₩15.1K

-79.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$3.74 ₩4,975

-56.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$8.09 ₩10.8K

-40.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$6.05 ₩8,048

-73.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$6.01 ₩7,992

-36.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$3.26 ₩4,328

13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$2.89 ₩3,844

-60.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.28 ₩1,707

107.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.12 ₩4,154

66.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$18.52 ₩24.6K

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.45 ₩3,264

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.44 ₩4,577

5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.14 ₩1,511

-1.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$2.89 ₩3,849

-25.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.78 ₩1,040

101.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$16.96 ₩22.6K

-49.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.43 ₩1,899

6.29%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$30.0K ₩39.9M

-28.01%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$34.1K ₩45.4M

1.12%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$197 ₩261.8K

-51.09%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$37.06 ₩49.3K

-3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$27.21 ₩36.2K

96.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$60.4 ₩80.3K

18.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$10.30 ₩13.7K

-23.40%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$263 ₩349.3K

88.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$22.0K ₩29.3M

-46.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$51.5 ₩68.5K

4.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$45.56 ₩60.6K

21.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$61.0 ₩81.2K

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$75.0 ₩99.7K

6.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$373 ₩495.3K

111.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$244 ₩324.7K

225.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$761 ₩1.0M

417.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$648 ₩861.8K

118.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$4,483 ₩6.0M

54.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,479 ₩3.3M

-50.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$2,331 ₩3.1M

-62.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.22

104.27%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Ulsan

$244 18.2% 69.3% $550

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Ulsan

$489 36.5% 38.7% $137

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Ulsan

$148 11% 30.2% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Ulsan

$261 19.5% 40.6% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Ulsan

$105 7.8% 12.6% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Ulsan

$81 6.1% 7.3% $6.3

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Ulsan

$11 * 0.9% 87% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $373 in Ulsan. 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 170% higher in Ulsan, 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 $45.00 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $352 in Nosara vs $489 in Ulsan – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🕒 Local time

13:37 1:37 PM

04:37 4:37 AM

15 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

1,129,827

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Ulsan 13,760 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Ulsan

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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,339 in Ulsan – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,009 in Ulsan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulsan, 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 $61.0 in Nosara and $45.00 in Ulsan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% 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 Ulsan, where all-in costs run around $1,339, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Ulsan 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 $1,339 in Ulsan 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 Ulsan. 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.