Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seongnam and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Seongnam: $1,405 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Seongnam
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Seongnam Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Seongnam

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,405

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,405 per month in Seongnam vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Seongnam $1,405
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,330 per month in Seongnam vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Seongnam $2,330
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,255 per month in Seongnam vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Seongnam $3,255
Nosara $3,818

Seongnam is about 24% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seongnam and Nosara sit above the global median – Seongnam by 4%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 ₩8,787

$12.35 ₡5,539

-46.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.26 ₩53.5K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-34.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ₩8,870

$7.52 ₡3,373

-11.30%

Cappuccino

$4.16 ₩5,528

$4.41 ₡1,978

-5.67%

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

$1.59 ₩2,120

$1.74 ₡780

-8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₩1,093

$1.31 ₡587

-37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ₩4,727

$3.28 ₡1,471

8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ₩5,065

$4.47 ₡2,004

-14.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,005

$1.56 ₡701

44.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₩4,098

$3.02 ₡1,355

1.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 ₩4,779

$2.51 ₡1,125

43.03%

Eggs

$3.61 ₩4,804

$3.57 ₡1,603

1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 ₩12.3K

$7.43 ₡3,333

24.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 ₩10.3K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-26.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.02 ₩27.9K

$13.97 ₡6,265

50.47%

Apples (1kg)

$7.75 ₩10.3K

$2.35 ₡1,052

229.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.42 ₩4,552

$1.61 ₡720

112.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,808

$4.80 ₡2,152

22.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 ₩9,288

$1.61 ₡724

334.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 ₩4,793

$3.80 ₡1,703

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,354

$3.69 ₡1,657

-31.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 ₩3,725

$1.13 ₡507

147.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,766

$2.66 ₡1,191

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ₩4,584

$5.18 ₡2,321

-33.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ₩24.5K

$19.88 ₡8,916

-7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₩2,776

$2.90 ₡1,300

-27.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,422

$3.63 ₡1,626

-49.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₩1,368

$1.12 ₡504

-8.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,841

$2.14 ₡958

70.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₩876

$1.57 ₡703

-57.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₩11.8K

$8.52 ₡3,823

3.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩1,811

$1.52 ₡682

-10.53%

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

$29.3K ₩39.0M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

35.63%

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

$28.4K ₩37.8M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-17.72%

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

$207 ₩275.9K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

115.48%

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

$36.39 ₩48.4K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

1.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.67 ₩27.5K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-61.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ₩68.6K

$71.6 ₡32.1K

-27.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 ₩16.1K

$34.91 ₡15.7K

-65.37%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ₩14.6K

$7.89 ₡3,539

39.29%

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

$532 ₩707.0K

$494 ₡221.6K

7.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ₩23.5M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

49.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ₩76.6K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.21 ₩42.8K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

-41.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ₩92.6K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-10.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 ₩108.8K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ₩635.4K

$788 ₡353.4K

-39.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ₩486.9K

$794 ₡356.2K

-53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 ₩1.6M

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-70.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 ₩1.4M

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-27.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,163 ₩9.5M

$6,912 ₡3.1M

3.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,429 ₩7.2M

$1,224 ₡549.0K

343.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

8.62

-52.67%

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

Last update for Seongnam: 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

Seongnam

$423 30.1%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 16.8% $71

Accommodation & Living

Seongnam

$366 26.1%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 117% $428

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seongnam

$265 18.8%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 29.8% $79

Eating Out

Seongnam

$158 11.2%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 34.2% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Seongnam

$109 7.7%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 10.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Seongnam

$74 5.2%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 18.8% $14

Getting Around

Seongnam

$11 * 0.8%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 688% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Seongnam 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Seongnam versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $423 in Seongnam vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Seongnam

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:07 4:07 AM

13:07 1:07 PM

15 h behind Seongnam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

967,510

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

Seongnam Nosara 13,740 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Seongnam
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

Seongnam vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,405 in Seongnam, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,108 per month in Seongnam 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 Seongnam, 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 $40.00 in Seongnam 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 20% cheaper in Nosara – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seongnam, where all-in costs run around $1,405, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Seongnam 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 $1,405 in Seongnam 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 Seongnam. 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.