Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Catanduva and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Catanduva: $915 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Catanduva
🇧🇷 Brazil
$915
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Catanduva versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • Catanduva $915
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,473 in Catanduva versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • Catanduva $1,473
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,031 in Catanduva versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • Catanduva $2,031
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in Catanduva costs roughly 50% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Catanduva is 33% below, Nosara is 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.78 R$49.56
$12.34 ₡5,535
-20.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.49 R$180
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-42.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.17 R$46.47
$7.76 ₡3,481
18.17%
Cappuccino
$2.41 R$12.21
$4.44 ₡1,992
-45.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R$6.44
$1.79 ₡803
-29.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 R$4.69
$1.29 ₡580
-27.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.37 R$12.01
$3.24 ₡1,451
-26.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 R$19.99
$4.43 ₡1,985
-11.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 R$5.37
$1.55 ₡696
-31.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 R$10.63
$3.08 ₡1,380
-31.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 R$7.03
$2.53 ₡1,133
-45.06%
Eggs
$1.95 R$9.86
$3.45 ₡1,546
-43.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.01 R$55.8
$7.32 ₡3,284
50.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.83 R$24.51
$10.24 ₡4,594
-52.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.75 R$54.5
$14.10 ₡6,326
-23.76%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 R$11.62
$2.29 ₡1,027
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 R$7.28
$1.64 ₡737
-12.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 R$7.69
$4.79 ₡2,149
-68.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.82 R$4.14
$1.64 ₡735
-50.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 R$5.16
$3.85 ₡1,727
-73.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 R$5.15
$3.75 ₡1,681
-72.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.94 R$4.77
$1.09 ₡488
-13.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 R$4.33
$2.59 ₡1,160
-67.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.48 R$12.55
$5.12 ₡2,295
-51.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.01 R$40.62
$19.92 ₡8,931
-59.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 R$7.60
$2.80 ₡1,255
-46.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 R$13.33
$3.52 ₡1,580
-25.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 R$5.28
$1.22 ₡549
-14.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.88 R$228
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-39.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 R$6.02
$2.17 ₡973
-45.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 R$3.96
$1.56 ₡698
-50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 R$43.96
$8.67 ₡3,886
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 R$5.86
$1.55 ₡697
-25.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0K R$121.6K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-30.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K R$165.6K
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-15.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.0 R$330
$94.8 ₡42.5K
-31.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.19 R$36.44
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-80.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.08 R$91.7
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-65.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.68 R$130
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-65.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.01 R$142
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-21.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.81 R$34.52
$7.91 ₡3,548
-13.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$440 R$2,230
$490 ₡219.9K
-10.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K R$56.5K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-6.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 R$302
$54.8 ₡24.6K
8.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.73 R$201
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-28.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 R$449
$80.4 ₡36.0K
10.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.7 R$303
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-23.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$363 R$1,838
$801 ₡359.1K
-54.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$244 R$1,236
$790 ₡354.1K
-69.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$682 R$3,457
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-82.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 R$2,416
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-66.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,706 R$8,649
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-75.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,185 R$6,006
$1,236 ₡554.3K
-4.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Catanduva
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$887 ₡397.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.81
8.62
25.41%

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

Last update for Catanduva: October 18, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Catanduva
$244
Nosara
$790 224% $546
Groceries & Markets
Catanduva
$212
Nosara
$350 64.6% $137
Eating Out
Catanduva
$163
Nosara
$213 30.4% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Catanduva
$111
Nosara
$121 8.6% $9.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Catanduva
$90
Nosara
$184 104% $94
Getting Around
Catanduva
$54
Nosara
$89 63.9% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Catanduva
$39
Nosara
$90 128% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $363 in Catanduva and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Catanduva vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $350 per month, with Catanduva cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Catanduva
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
16:57 4:57 PM
13:57 1:57 PM
3 h behind Catanduva
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
115,791
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Catanduva Nosara 5,290 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Catanduva
  • 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
Catanduva vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Catanduva and in Nosara?
Catanduva and Nosara differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($915 vs $1,835 including rent). Catanduva is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Catanduva compared to Nosara?
You'd need roughly $1,372 in Catanduva and $2,753 in Nosara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Catanduva and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $363 in Catanduva versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Catanduva – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $915 in Catanduva versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Catanduva but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Catanduva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Catanduva 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 Catanduva or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Catanduva 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: Catanduva or Nosara?
Expats usually find Catanduva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Catanduva vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

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