Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phitsanulok and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Phitsanulok: $877 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phitsanulok
🇹🇭 Thailand
$877
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $877 per month in Phitsanulok vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Phitsanulok $877
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,448 per month in Phitsanulok vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Phitsanulok $1,448
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,020 per month in Phitsanulok vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Phitsanulok $2,020
  • Nosara $3,818

Phitsanulok is about 52% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phitsanulok sits 35% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.1
$12.35 ₡5,539
-82.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.26 ฿644
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-68.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.45 ฿182
$7.52 ₡3,373
-27.53%
Cappuccino
$1.73 ฿58.0
$4.41 ₡1,978
-60.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.37
$1.74 ₡780
-59.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ฿10.66
$1.31 ₡587
-75.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.34 ฿78.2
$3.28 ₡1,471
-28.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿125
$4.47 ₡2,004
-16.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 ฿65.5
$1.56 ₡701
25.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿48.77
$3.02 ₡1,355
-51.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.43
$2.51 ₡1,125
-45.82%
Eggs
$2.19 ฿73.3
$3.57 ₡1,603
-38.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 ฿559
$7.43 ₡3,333
125.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.71 ฿90.5
$10.52 ₡4,717
-74.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.29 ฿311
$13.97 ₡6,265
-33.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.41 ฿80.6
$2.35 ₡1,052
2.55%
Banana (1kg)
$0.99 ฿33.24
$1.61 ₡720
-38.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.6
$4.80 ₡2,152
-66.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.39
$1.61 ₡724
-9.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.25 ฿41.83
$3.80 ₡1,703
-67.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 ฿35.61
$3.69 ₡1,657
-71.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 ฿25.14
$1.13 ₡507
-33.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.95
$2.66 ₡1,191
-80.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.34 ฿145
$5.18 ₡2,321
-16.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.92 ฿599
$19.88 ₡8,916
-9.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 ฿52.0
$2.90 ₡1,300
-46.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 ฿91.1
$3.63 ₡1,626
-24.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 ฿30.59
$1.12 ₡504
-17.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.20 ฿40.19
$2.14 ₡958
-43.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.91
$1.57 ₡703
-63.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.36 ฿78.9
$8.52 ₡3,823
-72.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿48.11
$1.52 ₡682
-5.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.4K ฿682.8K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
-5.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K ฿883.1K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-23.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.3 ฿2,048
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-36.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.06 ฿403
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-66.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.21 ฿675
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-62.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.45 ฿1,586
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-33.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.34 ฿479
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-58.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.62 ฿221
$7.89 ₡3,539
-16.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$769 ฿25.7K
$494 ₡221.6K
55.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.9K ฿499.4K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
26.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.2 ฿1,844
$53.9 ₡24.2K
2.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.45 ฿817
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-55.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.4 ฿3,053
$77.9 ₡34.9K
17.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.7 ฿2,364
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-11.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 ฿15.1K
$788 ₡353.4K
-42.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$293 ฿9,779
$794 ₡356.2K
-63.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,395 ฿46.6K
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-64.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$748 ฿25.0K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-47.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,902 ฿63.6K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-72.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,597 ฿53.4K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
30.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phitsanulok
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$481 ฿16.1K
$864 ₡387.3K
-44.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.62
-35.38%

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

Last update for Phitsanulok: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phitsanulok
$293
Nosara
$794 172% $502
Groceries & Markets
Phitsanulok
$236
Nosara
$352 49.4% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Phitsanulok
$109
Nosara
$120 10.4% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phitsanulok
$94
Nosara
$186 98.5% $92
Eating Out
Phitsanulok
$77
Nosara
$212 174% $134
Sport & Entertainment
Phitsanulok
$61
Nosara
$87 44% $27
Getting Around
Phitsanulok
$7.7 *
Nosara
$87 1033% $79

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Phitsanulok 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 80% 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 $19.00 in Phitsanulok versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $352 – making Phitsanulok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phitsanulok
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
01:11 1:11 AM
12:11 12:11 PM
13 h behind Phitsanulok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
66,106
4,912
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phitsanulok Nosara 16,970 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phitsanulok
  • 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
Phitsanulok vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phitsanulok and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $877 in Phitsanulok, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 110% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Phitsanulok compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,315 per month in Phitsanulok 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 Phitsanulok and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phitsanulok, 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 $19.00 in Phitsanulok 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 49% 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 Phitsanulok, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Phitsanulok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phitsanulok and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $877 in Phitsanulok to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phitsanulok 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 Phitsanulok and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Phitsanulok. 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.

Phitsanulok vs other spots: cost of living compared

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