Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Pekanbaru: $628 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Pekanbaru
Learn more

Pekanbaru Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Pekanbaru

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$628

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $628 per month in Pekanbaru vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Pekanbaru $628
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $983 per month in Pekanbaru vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Pekanbaru $983
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,339 per month in Pekanbaru vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Pekanbaru $1,339
Nosara $3,818

Pekanbaru is about 66% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Pekanbaru sits 53% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.43 Rp 25.8K

$12.35 ₡5,539

-88.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.20 Rp 147.6K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-86.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$7.52 ₡3,373

-67.95%

Cappuccino

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$4.41 ₡1,978

-70.52%

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

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

$1.74 ₡780

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,954

$1.31 ₡587

-74.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 Rp 37.3K

$3.28 ₡1,471

-36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$4.47 ₡2,004

-22.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$1.56 ₡701

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$3.02 ₡1,355

-61.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$2.51 ₡1,125

-64.54%

Eggs

$1.68 Rp 30.3K

$3.57 ₡1,603

-52.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 Rp 131.3K

$7.43 ₡3,333

-1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.7K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-77.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.9K

$13.97 ₡6,265

-53.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.5K

$2.35 ₡1,052

14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$1.61 ₡720

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$4.80 ₡2,152

-49.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

$1.61 ₡724

-21.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

$3.80 ₡1,703

-67.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$3.69 ₡1,657

-48.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.13 ₡507

-33.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 Rp 6,350

$2.66 ₡1,191

-86.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$5.18 ₡2,321

-58.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.45 Rp 386.0K

$19.88 ₡8,916

7.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$2.90 ₡1,300

-34.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 54.2K

$3.63 ₡1,626

-17.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,230

$1.12 ₡504

-74.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.44 Rp 152.0K

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-88.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

$2.14 ₡958

-57.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,154

$1.57 ₡703

-74.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 Rp 48.2K

$8.52 ₡3,823

-68.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.52 ₡682

-50.00%

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

$23.3K Rp 418.9M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

7.70%

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

$26.0K Rp 468.5M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-24.59%

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

$62.1 Rp 1.1M

$96.3 ₡43.2K

-35.53%

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

$5.99 Rp 107.9K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

-83.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 Rp 428.1K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-55.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.34 Rp 510.2K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-60.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.31 Rp 149.7K

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-76.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$7.89 ₡3,539

-61.60%

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

$96.0 Rp 1.7M

$494 ₡221.6K

-80.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,773 Rp 139.9M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-34.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.96 Rp 575.3K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

-40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.42 Rp 511.6K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-48.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 Rp 985.5K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-29.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$79.6 ₡35.7K

1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$788 ₡353.4K

-66.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 Rp 2.6M

$794 ₡356.2K

-81.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 Rp 9.7M

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-86.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 Rp 6.4M

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-74.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,070 Rp 19.3M

$6,912 ₡3.1M

-84.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$807 Rp 14.5M

$1,224 ₡549.0K

-34.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 Rp 3.2M

$864 ₡387.3K

-79.62%

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 Pekanbaru: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Pekanbaru

$201 32%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 75.4% $151

Accommodation & Living

Pekanbaru

$145 23.1%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 449% $650

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pekanbaru

$92 14.6%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 102% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Pekanbaru

$88 14%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 36.2% $32

Eating Out

Pekanbaru

$55 8.8%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 284% $157

Sport & Entertainment

Pekanbaru

$34 5.5%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 154% $53

Getting Around

Pekanbaru

$13 2%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 596% $75

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Pekanbaru 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.

Salaries run about 391% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Pekanbaru versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $352 – making Pekanbaru the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Pekanbaru

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

11:51 11:51 AM

22:51 10:51 PM

13 h behind Pekanbaru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,020,308

4,912

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

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).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pekanbaru Nosara 18,610 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Pekanbaru
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

Pekanbaru vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $628 in Pekanbaru, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 193% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $942 per month in Pekanbaru and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pekanbaru, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 761% less in Pekanbaru. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $96.0 per month in Pekanbaru and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pekanbaru, where all-in costs run around $628, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Pekanbaru 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 $628 in Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru. 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.