Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilheus and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilheus: $839 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.

Ilheus
🇧🇷 Brazil
$839
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,837
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $839 per month in Ilheus vs $1,837 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ilheus $839
  • Nosara $1,837

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Ilheus vs $2,775 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ilheus $1,360
  • Nosara $2,775

A family of three spends $1,882 per month in Ilheus vs $3,712 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Ilheus $1,882
  • Nosara $3,712

Ilheus is about 54% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ilheus sits 37% below the global median, while Nosara is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 R$21.94
$12.22 ₡5,509
-64.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.59 R$158
$60.2 ₡27.1K
-47.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.73 R$38.60
$7.54 ₡3,399
2.52%
Cappuccino
$2.06 R$10.30
$4.31 ₡1,941
-52.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 R$5.79
$1.72 ₡773
-32.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 R$4.23
$1.35 ₡608
-37.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.99 R$9.91
$3.24 ₡1,459
-38.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 R$13.02
$4.48 ₡2,018
-41.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 R$5.33
$1.57 ₡707
-31.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.68 R$8.37
$3.17 ₡1,429
-47.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.23 R$6.15
$2.42 ₡1,091
-49.17%
Eggs
$2.25 R$11.22
$3.57 ₡1,609
-36.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.89 R$94.3
$7.43 ₡3,349
154.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.30 R$21.46
$10.42 ₡4,697
-58.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.78 R$38.86
$13.66 ₡6,156
-43.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.13 R$10.66
$2.32 ₡1,044
-8.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.33 R$6.62
$1.61 ₡728
-17.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.23 R$6.16
$4.74 ₡2,138
-74.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 R$8.04
$1.66 ₡747
-3.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 R$6.30
$3.72 ₡1,679
-66.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 R$5.36
$3.57 ₡1,611
-70.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 R$4.12
$1.10 ₡497
-24.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 R$4.03
$2.55 ₡1,149
-68.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.48 R$12.39
$4.95 ₡2,232
-49.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.30 R$36.43
$20.01 ₡9,020
-63.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 R$7.15
$2.79 ₡1,256
-48.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 R$9.17
$3.53 ₡1,589
-47.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 R$5.17
$1.19 ₡537
-12.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.84 R$229
$72.1 ₡32.5K
-36.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.39 R$6.95
$2.24 ₡1,011
-37.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 R$4.12
$1.55 ₡701
-47.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.87 R$39.30
$8.86 ₡3,993
-11.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 R$5.77
$1.57 ₡708
-26.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.4K R$101.8K
$21.8K ₡9.8M
-6.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K R$146.3K
$34.6K ₡15.6M
-15.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.1 R$380
$93.5 ₡42.1K
-18.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 R$60.5
$35.11 ₡15.8K
-65.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.73 R$104
$51.5 ₡23.2K
-59.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.85 R$129
$71.4 ₡32.2K
-63.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.48 R$152
$35.44 ₡16.0K
-14.00%
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 R$33.85
$7.84 ₡3,535
-13.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$279 R$1,392
$490 ₡220.7K
-43.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,084 R$35.4K
$11.9K ₡5.4M
-40.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.84 R$239
$53.5 ₡24.1K
-10.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.99 R$225
$55.8 ₡25.1K
-19.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 R$433
$79.3 ₡35.7K
9.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.1 R$320
$78.9 ₡35.6K
-18.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$220 R$1,098
$786 ₡354.3K
-72.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$200 R$997
$780 ₡351.6K
-74.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$571 R$2,850
$3,860 ₡1.7M
-85.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 R$2,207
$1,407 ₡634.4K
-68.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,455 R$7,264
$6,972 ₡3.1M
-79.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,036 R$5,173
$1,201 ₡541.3K
-13.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ilheus
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$601 R$3,000
$876 ₡395.0K
-31.42%
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 Ilheus: October 4, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ilheus
$219
Nosara
$350 59.7% $131
Accommodation & Living
Ilheus
$200
Nosara
$780 290% $580
Clothing & Footwear
Ilheus
$110
Nosara
$120 9.7% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ilheus
$109
Nosara
$180 65.2% $71
Eating Out
Ilheus
$106
Nosara
$209 97% $103
Getting Around
Ilheus
$56
Nosara
$87 56.5% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Ilheus
$39
Nosara
$87 121% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Ilheus versus $786 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 46% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ilheus versus $60.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $350 – making Ilheus the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Ilheus
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
04:10 4:10 AM
01:10 1:10 AM
3 h behind Ilheus
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
178,649
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
  • Ilheus Nosara 5,830 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ilheus
  • 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
Ilheus vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ilheus and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $839 in Ilheus, $1,837 in Nosara – roughly 119% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Ilheus compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,258 per month in Ilheus and $2,756 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ilheus and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ilheus, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 60% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ilheus and $60.0 in Nosara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Ilheus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ilheus and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $839 in Ilheus to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ilheus 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 Ilheus and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Ilheus. 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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