Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sangju and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Sangju: $1,418 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

69

Cost of Living Index in Sangju
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Sangju Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

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Sangju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,418

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,418 per month in Sangju vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Sangju $1,418
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,194 per month in Sangju vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Sangju $2,194
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,970 per month in Sangju vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Sangju $2,970
Nosara $3,818

Sangju is about 23% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sangju and Nosara sit above the global median – Sangju by 5%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 ₩8,086

$12.35 ₡5,539

-50.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.36 ₩45.7K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-43.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 ₩8,846

$7.52 ₡3,373

-11.57%

Cappuccino

$3.71 ₩4,939

$4.41 ₡1,978

-15.87%

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

$1.55 ₩2,055

$1.74 ₡780

-10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₩775

$1.31 ₡587

-55.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 ₩4,708

$3.28 ₡1,471

7.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 ₩5,817

$4.47 ₡2,004

-2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,005

$1.56 ₡701

44.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₩4,020

$3.02 ₡1,355

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₩3,058

$2.51 ₡1,125

-8.37%

Eggs

$3.31 ₩4,399

$3.57 ₡1,603

-7.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.56 ₩20.7K

$7.43 ₡3,333

109.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ₩10.1K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-27.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ₩15.1K

$13.97 ₡6,265

-18.97%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 ₩10.1K

$2.35 ₡1,052

222.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,335

$1.61 ₡720

102.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.57 ₩10.1K

$4.80 ₡2,152

57.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 ₩9,462

$1.61 ₡724

342.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ₩4,701

$3.80 ₡1,703

-6.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 ₩3,154

$3.69 ₡1,657

-35.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩2,657

$1.13 ₡507

76.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,769

$2.66 ₡1,191

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,379

$5.18 ₡2,321

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 ₩24.6K

$19.88 ₡8,916

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₩2,921

$2.90 ₡1,300

-24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ₩4,609

$3.63 ₡1,626

-4.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 ₩1,523

$1.12 ₡504

2.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 ₩4,977

$2.14 ₡958

74.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₩817

$1.57 ₡703

-61.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.83 ₩17.1K

$8.52 ₡3,823

50.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ₩1,855

$1.52 ₡682

-8.55%

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

$28.9K ₩38.4M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

33.72%

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

$35.5K ₩47.3M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

2.96%

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

$208 ₩276.1K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

115.63%

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

$43.09 ₩57.3K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

20.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.94 ₩27.8K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-60.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 ₩68.5K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-28.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.08 ₩16.1K

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-65.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 ₩14.6K

$7.89 ₡3,539

39.42%

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

$297 ₩394.3K

$494 ₡221.6K

-39.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₩23.7M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

50.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 ₩86.1K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 ₩84.0K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₩100.3K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ₩133.0K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 ₩653.6K

$788 ₡353.4K

-37.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₩485.9K

$794 ₡356.2K

-54.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 ₩1.5M

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-70.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ₩1.0M

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-46.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,193 ₩9.6M

$6,912 ₡3.1M

4.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,380 ₩7.2M

$1,224 ₡549.0K

339.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,433 ₩1.9M

$864 ₡387.3K

65.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

8.62

-52.44%

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

Last update for Sangju: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Sangju

$412 29%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 14.4% $59

Accommodation & Living

Sangju

$365 25.8%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 117% $429

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sangju

$272 19.2%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 31.6% $86

Eating Out

Sangju

$148 10.5%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 43% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Sangju

$137 9.6%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 12% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Sangju

$74 5.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 18.9% $14

Getting Around

Sangju

$11 * 0.8%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 664% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Sangju 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 66% higher in Sangju, 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 $34.00 in Sangju versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Sangju vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Sangju

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:05 4:05 AM

13:05 1:05 PM

15 h behind Sangju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,947

4,912

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 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 = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 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

Sangju Nosara 13,760 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Sangju
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

Sangju vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,418 in Sangju, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,127 per month in Sangju 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 Sangju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Sangju 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 17% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sangju, where all-in costs run around $1,418, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Sangju 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 $1,418 in Sangju 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 Sangju. 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.