Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yilan and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Yilan: $1,008 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yilan
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,008
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,008 per month in Yilan vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Yilan $1,008
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Yilan vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Yilan $1,731
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $2,455 per month in Yilan vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Yilan $2,455
  • Nosara $3,818

Yilan is about 45% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Yilan sits 25% below the global median, while Nosara is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.55 NT$115
$12.35 ₡5,539
-71.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.99 NT$973
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-50.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.61 NT$149
$7.52 ₡3,373
-38.70%
Cappuccino
$2.88 NT$93.5
$4.41 ₡1,978
-34.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 NT$33.33
$1.74 ₡780
-40.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 NT$21.18
$1.31 ₡587
-50.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.52 NT$49.41
$3.28 ₡1,471
-53.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 NT$93.4
$4.47 ₡2,004
-35.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.16 NT$102
$1.56 ₡701
102.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 NT$55.3
$3.02 ₡1,355
-43.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.74 NT$88.7
$2.51 ₡1,125
9.16%
Eggs
$2.62 NT$84.9
$3.57 ₡1,603
-26.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$28.52 NT$925
$7.43 ₡3,333
283.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.15 NT$264
$10.52 ₡4,717
-22.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.07 NT$554
$13.97 ₡6,265
22.19%
Apples (1kg)
$4.36 NT$142
$2.35 ₡1,052
85.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 NT$61.3
$1.61 ₡720
17.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 NT$100
$4.80 ₡2,152
-35.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 NT$70.5
$1.61 ₡724
34.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 NT$38.51
$3.80 ₡1,703
-68.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 NT$61.1
$3.69 ₡1,657
-49.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.41 NT$78.0
$1.13 ₡507
113.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 NT$27.78
$2.66 ₡1,191
-67.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 NT$125
$5.18 ₡2,321
-25.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.70 NT$509
$19.88 ₡8,916
-21.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 NT$45.55
$2.90 ₡1,300
-51.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 NT$79.3
$3.63 ₡1,626
-32.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.75 NT$24.37
$1.12 ₡504
-33.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.68 NT$1,189
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-49.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 NT$89.1
$2.14 ₡958
28.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 NT$31.37
$1.57 ₡703
-38.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.39 NT$305
$8.52 ₡3,823
10.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 NT$33.23
$1.52 ₡682
-32.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.1K NT$814.8K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
16.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.5K NT$633.9K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-43.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$47.16 NT$1,529
$96.3 ₡43.2K
-51.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.12 NT$490
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-57.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.30 NT$691
$53.6 ₡24.0K
-60.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.11 NT$1,009
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-56.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.85 NT$255
$7.89 ₡3,539
-0.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$340 NT$11.0K
$494 ₡221.6K
-31.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K NT$537.7K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
39.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.9 NT$1,781
$53.9 ₡24.2K
1.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.44 NT$1,020
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-43.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.0 NT$2,723
$77.9 ₡34.9K
7.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.2 NT$2,016
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-21.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$275 NT$8,930
$788 ₡353.4K
-65.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$254 NT$8,237
$794 ₡356.2K
-68.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 NT$32.3K
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-74.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$727 NT$23.6K
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-48.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,893 NT$256.0K
$6,912 ₡3.1M
14.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,975 NT$161.3K
$1,224 ₡549.0K
306.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yilan
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,041 NT$33.8K
$864 ₡387.3K
20.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.27
8.62
-73.67%

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

Last update for Yilan: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Yilan
$375
Nosara
$352 5.9% $22
Accommodation & Living
Yilan
$254
Nosara
$794 213% $540
Clothing & Footwear
Yilan
$105
Nosara
$120 14.8% $15
Eating Out
Yilan
$97
Nosara
$212 119% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yilan
$84
Nosara
$186 122% $102
Getting Around
Yilan
$47
Nosara
$87 84.3% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Yilan
$47
Nosara
$87 86.6% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $275 in Yilan 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 21% higher in Yilan, 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 $30.00 in Yilan versus $61.0 in Nosara. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in Yilan vs $352 in Nosara – so Nosara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇼 Yilan
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
10:51 10:51 AM
20:51 8:51 PM
14 h behind Yilan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
95,907
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Yilan Nosara 15,140 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yilan
  • 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
Yilan vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Yilan and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,008 in Yilan, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 82% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Yilan compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,512 per month in Yilan 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 Yilan and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yilan, 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 Yilan and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 98% less in Yilan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Yilan and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $340 per month in Yilan 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 $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yilan, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Yilan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Yilan and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,008 in Yilan to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Yilan 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 Yilan and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Yilan. 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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