Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belo Horizonte and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Belo Horizonte: $984 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Belo Horizonte
🇧🇷 Brazil
$984
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $984 in Belo Horizonte versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Belo Horizonte $984
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Belo Horizonte versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Belo Horizonte $1,589
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,193 in Belo Horizonte versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Belo Horizonte $2,193
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Belo Horizonte costs roughly 46% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Belo Horizonte is 27% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.90 R$29.46
$12.22 ₡5,509
-51.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.35 R$186
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-37.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.86 R$44.22
$7.54 ₡3,399
17.51%
Cappuccino
$2.27 R$11.36
$4.31 ₡1,941
-47.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 R$7.13
$1.72 ₡773
-16.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 R$4.05
$1.35 ₡608
-40.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 R$10.60
$3.24 ₡1,459
-34.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 R$18.32
$4.48 ₡2,018
-18.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 R$4.72
$1.57 ₡707
-39.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 R$9.09
$3.17 ₡1,429
-42.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 R$10.39
$2.42 ₡1,091
-14.05%
Eggs
$2.22 R$11.07
$3.57 ₡1,609
-37.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.91 R$49.47
$7.43 ₡3,349
33.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.33 R$21.63
$10.42 ₡4,697
-58.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.63 R$38.10
$13.66 ₡6,156
-44.14%
Apples (1kg)
$1.93 R$9.66
$2.32 ₡1,044
-16.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.15 R$5.75
$1.61 ₡728
-28.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.20 R$5.98
$4.74 ₡2,138
-74.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.65 R$8.23
$1.66 ₡747
-0.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 R$5.74
$3.72 ₡1,679
-69.09%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 R$4.86
$3.57 ₡1,611
-72.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 R$4.23
$1.10 ₡497
-22.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 R$4.58
$2.55 ₡1,149
-63.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.47 R$12.33
$4.95 ₡2,232
-50.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.23 R$41.09
$20.01 ₡9,020
-58.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 R$7.15
$2.79 ₡1,256
-48.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 R$13.68
$3.53 ₡1,589
-22.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 R$6.26
$1.19 ₡537
5.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.0 R$339
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-5.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.02 R$5.10
$2.24 ₡1,011
-54.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 R$3.84
$1.55 ₡701
-50.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.32 R$31.53
$8.86 ₡3,993
-28.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 R$6.58
$1.57 ₡708
-15.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0K R$119.9K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
10.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K R$162.1K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-6.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 R$380
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-18.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.33 R$51.6
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-70.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.02 R$105
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-59.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.07 R$140
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-60.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$46.30 R$231
$35.44 ₡16.0K
30.64%
Cinema Ticket
$7.90 R$39.41
$7.84 ₡3,535
0.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$459 R$2,292
$490 ₡220.7K
-6.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.8K R$69.0K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
16.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.0 R$309
$53.5 ₡24.1K
15.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.86 R$244
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-12.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.6 R$487
$79.3 ₡35.7K
23.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.5 R$357
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-9.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$590 R$2,945
$786 ₡354.3K
-24.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$292 R$1,456
$780 ₡351.6K
-62.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$890 R$4,440
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-76.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$591 R$2,950
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-58.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,358 R$11.8K
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-66.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,121 R$5,598
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-6.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belo Horizonte
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$613 R$3,062
$876 ₡395.0K
-30.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.25
8.62
30.51%

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

Last update for Belo Horizonte: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belo Horizonte
$292
Nosara
$780 167% $488
Groceries & Markets
Belo Horizonte
$198
Nosara
$350 76.8% $152
Eating Out
Belo Horizonte
$128
Nosara
$209 63.6% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Belo Horizonte
$126
Nosara
$120 4.5% $5.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belo Horizonte
$107
Nosara
$180 67.6% $73
Getting Around
Belo Horizonte
$78
Nosara
$87 11.5% $9
Sport & Entertainment
Belo Horizonte
$44
Nosara
$87 98.5% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Belo Horizonte and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Belo Horizonte vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $350 per month, with Belo Horizonte cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Belo Horizonte
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
08:33 8:33 AM
05:33 5:33 AM
3 h behind Belo Horizonte
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,315,560
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belo Horizonte Nosara 5,650 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Belo Horizonte
  • 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
Belo Horizonte vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Belo Horizonte and in Nosara?
Belo Horizonte and Nosara differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($984 vs $1,837 including rent). Belo Horizonte is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Belo Horizonte and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $590 in Belo Horizonte versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Belo Horizonte and Nosara?
Childcare runs $459 in Belo Horizonte versus $490 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $984 in Belo Horizonte versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Belo Horizonte but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Belo Horizonte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Belo Horizonte and Nosara?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Belo Horizonte or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Belo Horizonte and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Belo Horizonte or Nosara?
Expats usually find Belo Horizonte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Belo Horizonte vs other spots: cost of living compared

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