Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seogwipo and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Seogwipo: $1,427 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seogwipo
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,427
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Seogwipo vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Seogwipo $1,427
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,220 per month in Seogwipo vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Seogwipo $2,220
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,014 per month in Seogwipo vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Seogwipo $3,014
  • Nosara $3,818

Seogwipo is about 22% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seogwipo and Nosara sit above the global median – Seogwipo by 6%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.43 ₩9,873
$12.35 ₡5,539
-39.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.06 ₩46.6K
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-42.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.50 ₩8,637
$7.52 ₡3,373
-13.56%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₩4,741
$4.41 ₡1,978
-19.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 ₩2,129
$1.74 ₡780
-8.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 ₩886
$1.31 ₡587
-48.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.53 ₩4,694
$3.28 ₡1,471
7.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 ₩5,964
$4.47 ₡2,004
0.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ₩2,984
$1.56 ₡701
43.59%
White Bread (500g)
$3.14 ₩4,176
$3.02 ₡1,355
3.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.64 ₩3,513
$2.51 ₡1,125
5.18%
Eggs
$2.61 ₩3,470
$3.57 ₡1,603
-26.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.88 ₩14.5K
$7.43 ₡3,333
46.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.11 ₩10.8K
$10.52 ₡4,717
-22.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.44 ₩28.5K
$13.97 ₡6,265
53.47%
Apples (1kg)
$7.80 ₩10.4K
$2.35 ₡1,052
231.91%
Banana (1kg)
$3.63 ₩4,831
$1.61 ₡720
125.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$7.59 ₩10.1K
$4.80 ₡2,152
58.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.02 ₩8,003
$1.61 ₡724
273.91%
Potato (1kg)
$3.61 ₩4,802
$3.80 ₡1,703
-5.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.62 ₩3,490
$3.69 ₡1,657
-29.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.83 ₩3,764
$1.13 ₡507
150.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 ₩1,695
$2.66 ₡1,191
-52.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.46 ₩4,598
$5.18 ₡2,321
-33.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.68 ₩24.8K
$19.88 ₡8,916
-6.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 ₩2,926
$2.90 ₡1,300
-24.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₩4,629
$3.63 ₡1,626
-4.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 ₩1,445
$1.12 ₡504
-2.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.19 ₩4,243
$2.14 ₡958
49.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 ₩809
$1.57 ₡703
-61.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.89 ₩17.1K
$8.52 ₡3,823
51.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 ₩1,850
$1.52 ₡682
-8.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K ₩39.5M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
37.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ₩44.1M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-3.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$197 ₩261.9K
$96.3 ₡43.2K
104.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.18 ₩48.1K
$35.89 ₡16.1K
0.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.11 ₩29.4K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-58.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 ₩68.6K
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-27.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.92 ₩15.8K
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-65.86%
Cinema Ticket
$11.38 ₩15.1K
$7.89 ₡3,539
44.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$523 ₩695.5K
$494 ₡221.6K
5.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K ₩29.3M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
85.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.5 ₩85.7K
$53.9 ₡24.2K
19.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.8 ₩83.6K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
13.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.4 ₩100.3K
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-3.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.2 ₩130.5K
$79.6 ₡35.7K
23.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$479 ₩637.3K
$788 ₡353.4K
-39.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$362 ₩482.0K
$794 ₡356.2K
-54.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,189 ₩1.6M
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-69.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$748 ₩994.7K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-47.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,181 ₩9.5M
$6,912 ₡3.1M
3.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,441 ₩7.2M
$1,224 ₡549.0K
344.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seogwipo
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,097 ₩1.5M
$864 ₡387.3K
26.99%
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 Seogwipo: 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
Seogwipo
$432
Nosara
$352 18.4% $79
Accommodation & Living
Seogwipo
$362
Nosara
$794 119% $432
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seogwipo
$255
Nosara
$186 27.2% $69
Eating Out
Seogwipo
$157
Nosara
$212 34.6% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Seogwipo
$135
Nosara
$120 11.3% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Seogwipo
$74
Nosara
$87 17.5% $13
Getting Around
Seogwipo
$11 *
Nosara
$87 723% $77

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $479 in Seogwipo 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 27% higher in Seogwipo, 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 $35.00 in Seogwipo versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $432 in Seogwipo vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Seogwipo
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
08:24 8:24 AM
17:24 5:24 PM
15 h behind Seogwipo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
155,641
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seogwipo Nosara 14,120 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Seogwipo
  • 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
Seogwipo vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Seogwipo and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,427 in Seogwipo, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 29% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Seogwipo compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,141 per month in Seogwipo 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 Seogwipo and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Seogwipo, 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 $35.00 in Seogwipo 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?
Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seogwipo, where all-in costs run around $1,427, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Seogwipo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Seogwipo and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,427 in Seogwipo to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Seogwipo 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 Seogwipo and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Seogwipo. 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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