Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dourados and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Dourados: $834 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dourados
🇧🇷 Brazil
$834
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $834 in Dourados versus $1,837 in Nosara.

  • Dourados $834
  • Nosara $1,837

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,332 in Dourados versus $2,775 in Nosara.

  • Dourados $1,332
  • Nosara $2,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,830 in Dourados versus $3,712 in Nosara.

  • Dourados $1,830
  • Nosara $3,712

Living in Dourados costs roughly 55% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dourados is 38% below, Nosara is 37% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.71 R$28.50
$12.22 ₡5,509
-53.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.70 R$153
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-49.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.07 R$35.31
$7.54 ₡3,399
-6.23%
Cappuccino
$1.94 R$9.68
$4.31 ₡1,941
-54.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 R$6.11
$1.72 ₡773
-29.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 R$3.58
$1.35 ₡608
-46.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.94 R$9.69
$3.24 ₡1,459
-40.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 R$14.24
$4.48 ₡2,018
-36.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 R$4.98
$1.57 ₡707
-36.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 R$7.94
$3.17 ₡1,429
-49.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 R$6.02
$2.42 ₡1,091
-50.00%
Eggs
$2.10 R$10.50
$3.57 ₡1,609
-41.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.26 R$46.21
$7.43 ₡3,349
24.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.06 R$20.25
$10.42 ₡4,697
-61.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.23 R$41.08
$13.66 ₡6,156
-39.75%
Apples (1kg)
$2.11 R$10.54
$2.32 ₡1,044
-9.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.35
$1.61 ₡728
-21.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.12 R$5.59
$4.74 ₡2,138
-76.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 R$7.66
$1.66 ₡747
-7.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 R$5.96
$3.72 ₡1,679
-68.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 R$5.13
$3.57 ₡1,611
-71.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 R$3.70
$1.10 ₡497
-32.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 R$3.95
$2.55 ₡1,149
-69.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.44 R$12.20
$4.95 ₡2,232
-50.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.71 R$38.51
$20.01 ₡9,020
-61.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 R$6.00
$2.79 ₡1,256
-56.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 R$10.06
$3.53 ₡1,589
-43.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 R$4.93
$1.19 ₡537
-16.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.47 R$212
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-41.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 R$6.02
$2.24 ₡1,011
-45.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 R$4.31
$1.55 ₡701
-44.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.62 R$38.04
$8.86 ₡3,993
-14.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 R$6.24
$1.57 ₡708
-20.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.2K R$115.7K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
6.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K R$156.9K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-9.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.4 R$356
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-23.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.18 R$60.8
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-65.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.18 R$101
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-60.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.67 R$123
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-65.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.16 R$131
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-26.19%
Cinema Ticket
$6.95 R$34.71
$7.84 ₡3,535
-11.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$283 R$1,413
$490 ₡220.7K
-42.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,853 R$34.2K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-42.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.9 R$264
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-1.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.31 R$241
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-13.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 R$450
$79.3 ₡35.7K
13.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.2 R$346
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-12.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$343 R$1,712
$786 ₡354.3K
-56.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$233 R$1,163
$780 ₡351.6K
-70.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$656 R$3,273
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-83.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$458 R$2,288
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-67.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,626 R$8,117
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-76.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,112 R$5,553
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-7.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dourados
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$876 ₡395.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
8.62
27.61%

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

Last update for Dourados: October 5, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dourados
$233
Nosara
$780 235% $547
Groceries & Markets
Dourados
$186
Nosara
$350 88.2% $164
Clothing & Footwear
Dourados
$117
Nosara
$120 2.6% $3.1
Eating Out
Dourados
$113
Nosara
$209 84.8% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dourados
$104
Nosara
$180 73.6% $76
Getting Around
Dourados
$52
Nosara
$87 67.2% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Dourados
$39
Nosara
$87 126% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Dourados and $786 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Dourados vs $60.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $350 per month, with Dourados cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Dourados
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
03:24 3:24 AM
01:24 1:24 AM
2 h behind Dourados
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
243,367
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 = 5.6 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 = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dourados Nosara 4,910 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dourados
  • 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
Dourados vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dourados or Nosara?
Dourados wins on cost – living expenses run 120% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dourados the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dourados and in Nosara?
You'd need roughly $1,252 in Dourados and $2,756 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dourados compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $343 in Dourados versus $786 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Dourados or in Nosara?
Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Dourados and in Nosara?
Dining out is cheaper in Dourados – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $60.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Dourados or in Nosara?
At $834 in Dourados versus $1,837 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dourados but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Dourados the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dourados or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Dourados delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $834 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dourados hard to pass up.
How safe is Dourados compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Dourados 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Dourados gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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