Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Songdo-dong and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Songdo-dong: $1,444 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Songdo-dong
Learn more

Songdo-dong Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index

Jump to prices

Songdo-dong

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,444

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,444 per month in Songdo-dong vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

Songdo-dong $1,444
Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,292 per month in Songdo-dong vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

Songdo-dong $2,292
Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,140 per month in Songdo-dong vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

Songdo-dong $3,140
Nosara $3,818

Songdo-dong is about 21% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Songdo-dong and Nosara sit above the global median – Songdo-dong by 7%, Nosara by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 ₩7,798

$12.35 ₡5,539

-52.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.90 ₩46.4K

$61.2 ₡27.4K

-42.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ₩8,816

$7.52 ₡3,373

-11.84%

Cappuccino

$3.62 ₩4,815

$4.41 ₡1,978

-17.91%

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

$1.53 ₩2,032

$1.74 ₡780

-12.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₩777

$1.31 ₡587

-55.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 ₩4,063

$3.28 ₡1,471

-6.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ₩6,067

$4.47 ₡2,004

2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₩2,925

$1.56 ₡701

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 ₩4,066

$3.02 ₡1,355

1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 ₩3,126

$2.51 ₡1,125

-6.37%

Eggs

$3.33 ₩4,429

$3.57 ₡1,603

-6.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 ₩21.0K

$7.43 ₡3,333

112.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 ₩10.4K

$10.52 ₡4,717

-25.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 ₩15.1K

$13.97 ₡6,265

-18.83%

Apples (1kg)

$7.80 ₩10.4K

$2.35 ₡1,052

231.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 ₩4,234

$1.61 ₡720

97.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.67 ₩10.2K

$4.80 ₡2,152

59.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 ₩9,017

$1.61 ₡724

321.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₩4,720

$3.80 ₡1,703

-6.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 ₩3,216

$3.69 ₡1,657

-34.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩2,718

$1.13 ₡507

80.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ₩1,960

$2.66 ₡1,191

-44.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,379

$5.18 ₡2,321

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.48 ₩24.6K

$19.88 ₡8,916

-7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₩3,043

$2.90 ₡1,300

-21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₩4,836

$2.14 ₡958

70.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₩817

$1.57 ₡703

-61.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₩1,790

$1.52 ₡682

-11.18%

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

$29.2K ₩38.8M

$21.6K ₡9.7M

35.05%

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

$35.7K ₩47.4M

$34.5K ₡15.5M

3.35%

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

$210 ₩278.6K

$96.3 ₡43.2K

117.61%

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

$43.59 ₩58.0K

$35.89 ₡16.1K

21.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ₩27.4K

$53.6 ₡24.0K

-61.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 ₩15.1K

$7.89 ₡3,539

43.47%

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

$380 ₩505.4K

$494 ₡221.6K

-23.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K ₩23.8M

$11.9K ₡5.3M

50.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 ₩85.5K

$53.9 ₡24.2K

19.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.7 ₩86.0K

$55.4 ₡24.8K

16.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ₩100.4K

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 ₩131.6K

$79.6 ₡35.7K

24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ₩602.6K

$794 ₡356.2K

-42.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,914 ₩2.5M

$3,939 ₡1.8M

-51.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₩1.4M

$1,419 ₡636.5K

-25.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,372 ₩4.5M

$864 ₡387.3K

290.52%

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 Songdo-dong: 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

Songdo-dong

$453 31.4%

Nosara

$794 43.2% 75.3% $341

Groceries & Markets

Songdo-dong

$408 * 28.3%

Nosara

$352 19.2% 13.7% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Songdo-dong

$274 19%

Nosara

$186 10.1% 32.1% $88

Eating Out

Songdo-dong

$143 9.9%

Nosara

$212 11.5% 48% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Songdo-dong

$137 9.5%

Nosara

$120 6.5% 12.1% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Songdo-dong

$23 * 1.6%

Nosara

$87 4.8% 286% $65

Getting Around

Songdo-dong

$6.7 * 0.5%

Nosara

$87 4.7% 1198% $80

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 291% higher in Songdo-dong, 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 Songdo-dong versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Songdo-dong vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Songdo-dong

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

04:52 4:52 AM

13:52 1:52 PM

15 h behind Songdo-dong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

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

Songdo-dong Nosara 13,770 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Songdo-dong
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

Songdo-dong vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,444 in Songdo-dong, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,166 per month in Songdo-dong 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 $35.00 in Songdo-dong 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 16% 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 Songdo-dong, where all-in costs run around $1,444, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Songdo-dong 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 $1,444 in Songdo-dong 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 Songdo-dong. 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.