Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palangkaraya and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Palangkaraya: $619 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Palangkaraya
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$619
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Palangkaraya 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 Palangkaraya and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $619 per month in Palangkaraya vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Palangkaraya $619
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $988 per month in Palangkaraya vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Palangkaraya $988
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,356 per month in Palangkaraya vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Palangkaraya $1,356
  • Nosara $3,818

Palangkaraya is about 66% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Palangkaraya sits 54% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.42 Rp 25.6K
$12.35 ₡5,539
-88.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.95 Rp 251.2K
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-77.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.71 Rp 66.7K
$7.52 ₡3,373
-50.66%
Cappuccino
$1.55 Rp 27.9K
$4.41 ₡1,978
-64.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 Rp 8,405
$1.74 ₡780
-72.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20 Rp 3,672
$1.31 ₡587
-84.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 Rp 39.8K
$3.28 ₡1,471
-32.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 Rp 68.3K
$4.47 ₡2,004
-14.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 Rp 21.3K
$1.56 ₡701
-24.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.10 Rp 19.9K
$3.02 ₡1,355
-63.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$2.51 ₡1,125
-66.93%
Eggs
$1.46 Rp 26.3K
$3.57 ₡1,603
-59.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.14 Rp 128.5K
$7.43 ₡3,333
-3.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.15 Rp 38.7K
$10.52 ₡4,717
-79.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.41 Rp 115.3K
$13.97 ₡6,265
-54.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 Rp 39.9K
$2.35 ₡1,052
-5.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$1.61 ₡720
6.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 Rp 30.7K
$4.80 ₡2,152
-64.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.95 Rp 17.1K
$1.61 ₡724
-40.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 Rp 21.7K
$3.80 ₡1,703
-68.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 Rp 35.8K
$3.69 ₡1,657
-46.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
$1.13 ₡507
-35.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 Rp 7,540
$2.66 ₡1,191
-84.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.75 Rp 49.5K
$5.18 ₡2,321
-46.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.88 Rp 411.8K
$19.88 ₡8,916
15.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 Rp 33.7K
$2.90 ₡1,300
-35.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 Rp 55.8K
$3.63 ₡1,626
-14.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,898
$1.12 ₡504
-75.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.56 Rp 10.1K
$2.14 ₡958
-73.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 Rp 6,268
$1.57 ₡703
-77.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.85 Rp 51.2K
$8.52 ₡3,823
-66.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 Rp 11.7K
$1.52 ₡682
-57.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K Rp 440.7M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
13.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K Rp 494.8M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-20.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.8 Rp 1.2M
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-31.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.39 Rp 79.0K
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-87.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.27 Rp 346.8K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-64.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$5.70 Rp 102.6K
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-92.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.00 Rp 161.9K
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-74.22%
Cinema Ticket
$3.16 Rp 56.9K
$7.89 ₡3,539
-59.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$101 Rp 1.8M
$494 ₡221.6K
-79.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,849 Rp 141.3M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-33.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.00 Rp 702.1K
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-27.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.04 Rp 450.7K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-54.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.1 Rp 1.5M
$77.9 ₡34.9K
7.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.4 Rp 1.4M
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-5.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$217 Rp 3.9M
$788 ₡353.4K
-72.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$158 Rp 2.8M
$794 ₡356.2K
-80.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$507 Rp 9.1M
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-87.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$392 Rp 7.1M
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-72.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,013 Rp 18.2M
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-85.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$899 Rp 16.2M
$1,224 ₡549.0K
-26.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Palangkaraya
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
8.62
9.74%

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

Last update for Palangkaraya: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Palangkaraya
$193
Nosara
$352 82.3% $159
Accommodation & Living
Palangkaraya
$158
Nosara
$794 402% $636
Clothing & Footwear
Palangkaraya
$101
Nosara
$120 19.4% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palangkaraya
$89
Nosara
$186 108% $96
Eating Out
Palangkaraya
$62
Nosara
$212 239% $149
Sport & Entertainment
Palangkaraya
$12
Nosara
$87 627% $75
Getting Around
Palangkaraya
$3.4 *
Nosara
$87 2470% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $217 in Palangkaraya versus $788 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 $14.00 in Palangkaraya versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $352 – making Palangkaraya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Palangkaraya
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
11:58 11:58 AM
22:58 10:58 PM
13 h behind Palangkaraya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
220,962
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Palangkaraya Nosara 17,690 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Palangkaraya
  • 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
Palangkaraya vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Palangkaraya and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $619 in Palangkaraya, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 197% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Palangkaraya compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $929 per month in Palangkaraya and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Palangkaraya and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Palangkaraya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Palangkaraya and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 82% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palangkaraya, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Palangkaraya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Palangkaraya and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $619 in Palangkaraya to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Palangkaraya 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 Palangkaraya and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Palangkaraya. 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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