Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Obihiro and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Obihiro: $1,213 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Obihiro
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,213
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Obihiro and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Obihiro and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,213 per month in Obihiro vs $1,835 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Obihiro $1,213
  • Nosara $1,835

A couple spends around $1,909 per month in Obihiro vs $2,825 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Obihiro $1,909
  • Nosara $2,825

A family of three spends $2,605 per month in Obihiro vs $3,814 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Obihiro $2,605
  • Nosara $3,814

Obihiro is about 34% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Obihiro sits 11% below the global median, while Nosara is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.85 ¥1,241
$12.34 ₡5,535
-36.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.69 ¥5,007
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-48.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.09 ¥804
$7.76 ₡3,481
-34.41%
Cappuccino
$3.01 ¥475
$4.44 ₡1,992
-32.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20 ¥189
$1.79 ₡803
-32.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 ¥257
$1.29 ₡580
26.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 ¥421
$3.24 ₡1,451
-17.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ¥485
$4.43 ₡1,985
-30.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 ¥239
$1.55 ₡696
-1.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 ¥243
$3.08 ₡1,380
-50.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.25 ¥672
$2.53 ₡1,133
67.98%
Eggs
$2.08 ¥329
$3.45 ₡1,546
-39.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.14 ¥1,602
$7.32 ₡3,284
38.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.60 ¥1,043
$10.24 ₡4,594
-35.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.76 ¥2,648
$14.10 ₡6,326
18.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.67 ¥580
$2.29 ₡1,027
60.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.36 ¥373
$1.64 ₡737
43.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.92 ¥462
$4.79 ₡2,149
-39.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.28 ¥677
$1.64 ₡735
160.98%
Potato (1kg)
$2.48 ¥392
$3.85 ₡1,727
-35.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.45 ¥387
$3.75 ₡1,681
-34.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 ¥202
$1.09 ₡488
17.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥126
$2.59 ₡1,160
-69.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84 ¥607
$5.12 ₡2,295
-25.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.64 ¥1,050
$19.92 ₡8,931
-66.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 ¥297
$2.80 ₡1,255
-32.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 ¥341
$3.52 ₡1,580
-38.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.44 ¥228
$1.22 ₡549
18.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.6 ¥8,309
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-28.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.07 ¥485
$2.17 ₡973
41.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.80 ¥442
$1.56 ₡698
79.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.38 ¥2,904
$8.67 ₡3,886
112.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥175
$1.55 ₡697
-29.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ¥3.3M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-38.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.9K ¥2.4M
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-61.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$134 ¥21.2K
$94.8 ₡42.5K
41.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.54 ¥3,877
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-32.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.44 ¥4,809
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-42.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.4 ¥8,280
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-28.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.14 ¥1,918
$7.91 ₡3,548
53.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$514 ¥81.2K
$490 ₡219.9K
4.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K ¥2.0M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
6.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.05 ¥7,750
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-10.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.43 ¥4,966
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-43.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.4 ¥9,700
$80.4 ₡36.0K
-23.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ¥13.9K
$77.9 ₡34.9K
13.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$527 ¥83.3K
$801 ₡359.1K
-34.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$334 ¥52.7K
$790 ₡354.1K
-57.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 ¥177.2K
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-71.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$729 ¥115.1K
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-48.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,177 ¥660.0K
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-40.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,784 ¥281.9K
$1,236 ₡554.3K
44.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Obihiro
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.21
8.62
-74.36%

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

Last update for Obihiro: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Obihiro
$334
Nosara
$790 137% $456
Groceries & Markets
Obihiro
$289
Nosara
$350 20.9% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Obihiro
$189
Nosara
$184 2.7% $5
Eating Out
Obihiro
$145
Nosara
$213 46.7% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Obihiro
$103
Nosara
$121 16.9% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Obihiro
$77
Nosara
$90 16.8% $13
Getting Around
Obihiro
$75
Nosara
$89 17.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $527 in Obihiro versus $801 in Nosara. 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 $32.00 in Obihiro versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $350 – making Obihiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Obihiro
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
03:27 3:27 AM
12:27 12:27 PM
15 h behind Obihiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
166,536
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Obihiro Nosara 12,330 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Obihiro
  • Nosara

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
Obihiro vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Obihiro and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,213 in Obihiro, $1,835 in Nosara – roughly 51% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Obihiro compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,819 per month in Obihiro and $2,753 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Obihiro and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Obihiro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Obihiro and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 41% less in Obihiro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Obihiro and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $514 per month in Obihiro and $490 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Obihiro, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Obihiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Obihiro and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,213 in Obihiro to $1,835 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Obihiro or Nosara 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.
How do I decide between Obihiro and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Obihiro. 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.

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