Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Pohang: $1,362 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Pohang
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Pohang Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Pohang

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,362

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Pohang vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Pohang $1,362
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,682 per month in Pohang vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Pohang $1,682
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,002 per month in Pohang vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Pohang $2,002
Nosara $3,818

Pohang is about 26% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Pohang and Nosara sit above the global median – Pohang by 1%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 ₩7,884

$12.35 ₡5,539

-52.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.55 ₩30.1K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-63.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 ₩8,705

$7.52 ₡3,373

-13.30%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₩4,026

$4.41 ₡1,978

-31.52%

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

$1.48 ₩1,973

$1.74 ₡780

-14.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₩712

$1.31 ₡587

-59.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 ₩4,853

$3.28 ₡1,471

10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ₩5,080

$4.47 ₡2,004

-14.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,153

$1.56 ₡701

51.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 ₩4,334

$3.02 ₡1,355

7.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 ₩1,946

$2.51 ₡1,125

-41.83%

Eggs

$2.73 ₩3,646

$3.57 ₡1,603

-23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.6K

$7.43 ₡3,333

47.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 ₩13.8K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.86 ₩33.2K

$13.97 ₡6,265

77.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,939

$2.35 ₡1,052

-6.38%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩4,815

$1.61 ₡720

124.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.5K

$4.80 ₡2,152

64.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 ₩3,893

$1.61 ₡724

81.37%

Potato (1kg)

$5.00 ₩6,676

$3.80 ₡1,703

31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 ₩4,548

$3.69 ₡1,657

-7.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 ₩3,026

$1.13 ₡507

100.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩1,791

$2.66 ₡1,191

-49.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₩4,422

$5.18 ₡2,321

-36.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 ₩8,661

$19.88 ₡8,916

-67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₩2,038

$2.90 ₡1,300

-47.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₩4,654

$3.63 ₡1,626

-3.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 ₩4,403

$2.14 ₡958

54.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩769

$1.57 ₡703

-63.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 ₩22.2K

$8.52 ₡3,823

95.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,653

$1.52 ₡682

-18.42%

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

$29.5K ₩39.3M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

36.41%

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

$28.4K ₩37.9M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-17.73%

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

$102 ₩136.6K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

6.29%

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

$36.26 ₩48.4K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.84 ₩35.8K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 ₩40.5K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-57.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 ₩9,918

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-78.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 ₩15.2K

$7.89 ₡3,539

44.23%

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

$637 ₩850.5K

$494 ₡221.6K

29.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K ₩29.1M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

83.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₩139.7K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

94.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 ₩85.8K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

16.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ₩123.4K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩148.4K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

39.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₩596.4K

$794 ₡356.2K

-43.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,990 ₩4.0M

$1,224 ₡549.0K

144.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,240 ₩3.0M

$864 ₡387.3K

159.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

8.62

-51.04%

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

Last update for Pohang: October 11, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pohang

$447 32.8%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 77.7% $347

Groceries & Markets

Pohang

$386 28.3%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 8.6% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Pohang

$168 12.3%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 28.4% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pohang

$165 12.2%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 12.3% $20

Eating Out

Pohang

$137 10.1%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 54.7% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Pohang

$53 3.9%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 64.4% $34

Getting Around

Pohang

$6.2 * 0.5%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 1310% $81

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 159% higher in Pohang, 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 $23.00 in Pohang versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $386 in Pohang vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Pohang

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

05:49 5:49 AM

14:49 2:49 PM

15 h behind Pohang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

514,869

4,912

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 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).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Pohang Nosara 13,720 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Pohang
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

Pohang vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,362 in Pohang, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 35% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Pohang and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Pohang and $61.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pohang, where all-in costs run around $1,362, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Pohang 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 $1,362 in Pohang 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 Pohang. 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.