Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Suji-gu and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Suji-gu: $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.

Suji-gu
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,362
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

  • Suji-gu $1,362
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,100 per month in Suji-gu vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Suji-gu $2,100
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,839 per month in Suji-gu vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Suji-gu $2,839
  • Nosara $3,818

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

Both Suji-gu and Nosara sit above the global median – Suji-gu by 1%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.06 ₩8,060
$12.35 ₡5,539
-50.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.21 ₩45.5K
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-44.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.88 ₩9,145
$7.52 ₡3,373
-8.51%
Cappuccino
$3.63 ₩4,825
$4.41 ₡1,978
-17.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 ₩2,064
$1.74 ₡780
-10.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 ₩817
$1.31 ₡587
-53.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.39 ₩4,510
$3.28 ₡1,471
3.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 ₩5,779
$4.47 ₡2,004
-2.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 ₩2,669
$1.56 ₡701
28.85%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 ₩4,199
$3.02 ₡1,355
4.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.34 ₩3,107
$2.51 ₡1,125
-6.77%
Eggs
$3.32 ₩4,416
$3.57 ₡1,603
-7.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.59 ₩20.7K
$7.43 ₡3,333
109.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 ₩10.6K
$10.52 ₡4,717
-24.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 ₩14.7K
$13.97 ₡6,265
-20.76%
Apples (1kg)
$7.50 ₩9,977
$2.35 ₡1,052
219.15%
Banana (1kg)
$3.26 ₩4,335
$1.61 ₡720
102.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.54 ₩7,364
$4.80 ₡2,152
15.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.21 ₩8,261
$1.61 ₡724
285.71%
Potato (1kg)
$3.40 ₩4,515
$3.80 ₡1,703
-10.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 ₩3,305
$3.69 ₡1,657
-32.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.99 ₩2,646
$1.13 ₡507
76.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₩1,467
$2.66 ₡1,191
-58.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28 ₩4,360
$5.18 ₡2,321
-36.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.68 ₩24.8K
$19.88 ₡8,916
-6.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 ₩3,046
$2.90 ₡1,300
-21.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 ₩4,385
$3.63 ₡1,626
-9.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.14 ₩1,516
$1.12 ₡504
1.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.60 ₩4,785
$2.14 ₡958
68.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₩795
$1.57 ₡703
-61.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.02 ₩12.0K
$8.52 ₡3,823
5.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ₩1,888
$1.52 ₡682
-6.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K ₩39.6M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
37.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K ₩37.1M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-19.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 ₩283.9K
$96.3 ₡43.2K
121.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.39 ₩47.1K
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-1.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.99 ₩27.9K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-60.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 ₩69.3K
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-27.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.86 ₩15.8K
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-66.03%
Cinema Ticket
$11.26 ₩15.0K
$7.89 ₡3,539
42.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$518 ₩688.4K
$494 ₡221.6K
4.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.8K ₩23.7M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
50.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3 ₩76.1K
$53.9 ₡24.2K
6.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.66 ₩43.4K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-41.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.8 ₩92.8K
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-10.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.9 ₩108.9K
$79.6 ₡35.7K
2.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$478 ₩635.3K
$788 ₡353.4K
-39.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 ₩470.8K
$794 ₡356.2K
-55.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,159 ₩1.5M
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-70.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$736 ₩978.7K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-48.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,177 ₩9.5M
$6,912 ₡3.1M
3.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,439 ₩7.2M
$1,224 ₡549.0K
344.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Suji-gu
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,135 ₩1.5M
$864 ₡387.3K
31.43%
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 Suji-gu: 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
Suji-gu
$396
Nosara
$352 11.1% $44
Accommodation & Living
Suji-gu
$354
Nosara
$794 124% $440
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Suji-gu
$270
Nosara
$186 31.2% $84
Eating Out
Suji-gu
$147
Nosara
$212 44.1% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Suji-gu
$109
Nosara
$120 10.4% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Suji-gu
$75
Nosara
$87 17.1% $13
Getting Around
Suji-gu
$11 *
Nosara
$87 681% $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 Suji-gu 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 31% higher in Suji-gu, 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 Suji-gu versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $396 in Suji-gu vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇷 Suji-gu
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
02:25 2:25 AM
11:25 11:25 AM
15 h behind Suji-gu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
374,948
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
  • Suji-gu Nosara 13,750 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Suji-gu
  • 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
Suji-gu vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Suji-gu and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,362 in Suji-gu, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 35% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Suji-gu compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,042 per month in Suji-gu 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 Suji-gu and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Suji-gu, 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 $34.00 in Suji-gu 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 12% 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 $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Suji-gu, where all-in costs run around $1,362, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Suji-gu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Suji-gu and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,362 in Suji-gu to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Suji-gu 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 Suji-gu and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Suji-gu. 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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