Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vinh Yen and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Vinh Yen: $763 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Vinh Yen
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$763
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $763 per month in Vinh Yen vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Vinh Yen $763
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Vinh Yen vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Vinh Yen $1,223
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $1,684 per month in Vinh Yen vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Vinh Yen $1,684
  • Nosara $3,818

Vinh Yen is about 59% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Vinh Yen sits 44% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.06 ₫53.4K
$12.35 ₡5,539
-83.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.16 ₫496.1K
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-68.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.30 ₫111.3K
$7.52 ₡3,373
-42.82%
Cappuccino
$1.74 ₫45.0K
$4.41 ₡1,978
-60.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₫14.0K
$1.74 ₡780
-68.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₫8,546
$1.31 ₡587
-74.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.85 ₫22.0K
$3.28 ₡1,471
-74.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 ₫38.3K
$4.47 ₡2,004
-66.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 ₫38.0K
$1.56 ₡701
-5.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.09 ₫28.3K
$3.02 ₡1,355
-63.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 ₫24.0K
$2.51 ₡1,125
-62.95%
Eggs
$1.48 ₫38.2K
$3.57 ₡1,603
-58.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.30 ₫292.6K
$7.43 ₡3,333
52.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ₫97.7K
$10.52 ₡4,717
-64.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.50 ₫245.9K
$13.97 ₡6,265
-32.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 ₫77.4K
$2.35 ₡1,052
27.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.13 ₫29.3K
$1.61 ₡720
-29.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.29 ₫33.5K
$4.80 ₡2,152
-73.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.22 ₫31.6K
$1.61 ₡724
-24.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 ₫26.7K
$3.80 ₡1,703
-72.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ₫28.5K
$3.69 ₡1,657
-70.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.61 ₫15.7K
$1.13 ₡507
-46.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₫13.9K
$2.66 ₡1,191
-79.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.43 ₫37.0K
$5.18 ₡2,321
-72.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.85 ₫306.7K
$19.88 ₡8,916
-40.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 ₫21.2K
$2.90 ₡1,300
-71.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₫42.6K
$3.63 ₡1,626
-54.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 ₫8,941
$1.12 ₡504
-68.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.42 ₫166.2K
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-91.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.72 ₫18.7K
$2.14 ₡958
-66.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 ₫15.5K
$1.57 ₡703
-61.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.39 ₫62.0K
$8.52 ₡3,823
-71.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 ₫24.7K
$1.52 ₡682
-37.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0K ₫803.1M
$21.6K ₡9.7M
43.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.5K ₫764.0M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-14.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$75.6 ₫2.0M
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-21.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.84 ₫151.1K
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-83.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.50 ₫220.1K
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-84.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.31 ₫577.5K
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-68.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.64 ₫197.8K
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-78.12%
Cinema Ticket
$3.10 ₫80.2K
$7.89 ₡3,539
-60.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$158 ₫4.1M
$494 ₡221.6K
-67.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K ₫320.4M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
4.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.10 ₫1.2M
$53.9 ₡24.2K
-14.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.60 ₫688.7K
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-51.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.3 ₫2.1M
$77.9 ₡34.9K
5.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 ₫2.1M
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-0.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$403 ₫10.4M
$788 ₡353.4K
-48.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 ₫7.0M
$794 ₡356.2K
-65.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 ₫19.2M
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-81.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$603 ₫15.6M
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-57.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,819 ₫73.0M
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-59.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,316 ₫34.1M
$1,224 ₡549.0K
7.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vinh Yen
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.46
8.62
-1.86%

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

Last update for Vinh Yen: October 12, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vinh Yen
$272
Nosara
$794 193% $523
Groceries & Markets
Vinh Yen
$195
Nosara
$352 80.9% $158
Clothing & Footwear
Vinh Yen
$106
Nosara
$120 13.8% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vinh Yen
$90
Nosara
$186 107% $96
Eating Out
Vinh Yen
$61
Nosara
$212 248% $151
Sport & Entertainment
Vinh Yen
$29
Nosara
$87 207% $59
Getting Around
Vinh Yen
$12
Nosara
$87 656% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Vinh Yen 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 $19.00 in Vinh Yen versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $352 – making Vinh Yen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Vinh Yen
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
00:30 12:30 AM
11:30 11:30 AM
13 h behind Vinh Yen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
125,858
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,108 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 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
  • Vinh Yen Nosara 16,330 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vinh Yen
  • 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
Vinh Yen vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Vinh Yen and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $763 in Vinh Yen, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 141% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Vinh Yen compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,144 per month in Vinh Yen 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 Vinh Yen and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Vinh Yen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Vinh Yen and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 1031% less in Vinh Yen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Vinh Yen and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $158 per month in Vinh Yen and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vinh Yen, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Vinh Yen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Vinh Yen and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $763 in Vinh Yen to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Vinh Yen 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 Vinh Yen and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Vinh Yen. 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.

Vinh Yen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?