Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montes Claros and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Montes Claros: $844 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Montes Claros
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Montes Claros Living Index
89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index

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Montes Claros

🇧🇷 Brazil

$844

/mo nomad

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $844 in Montes Claros versus $1,835 in Nosara.

Montes Claros $844
Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Montes Claros versus $2,825 in Nosara.

Montes Claros $1,344
Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,843 in Montes Claros versus $3,814 in Nosara.

Montes Claros $1,843
Nosara $3,814

Living in Montes Claros costs roughly 54% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montes Claros is 38% below, Nosara is 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 R$17.22

$12.34 ₡5,535

-72.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 R$163

$61.3 ₡27.5K

-47.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 R$40.08

$7.76 ₡3,481

1.93%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R$10.41

$4.44 ₡1,992

-53.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 R$6.72

$1.79 ₡803

-25.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R$4.03

$1.29 ₡580

-38.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 R$7.51

$3.24 ₡1,451

-54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R$15.33

$4.43 ₡1,985

-31.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.33

$1.55 ₡696

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 R$8.33

$3.08 ₡1,380

-46.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.11

$2.53 ₡1,133

-52.57%

Eggs

$2.11 R$10.72

$3.45 ₡1,546

-38.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 R$44.36

$7.32 ₡3,284

19.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$22.24

$10.24 ₡4,594

-57.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 R$42.13

$14.10 ₡6,326

-41.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.65

$2.29 ₡1,027

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.46

$1.64 ₡737

-22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.41

$4.79 ₡2,149

-73.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.87

$1.64 ₡735

-5.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.92

$3.85 ₡1,727

-69.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.21

$3.75 ₡1,681

-72.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 R$4.25

$1.09 ₡488

-22.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.07

$2.59 ₡1,160

-69.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 R$11.69

$5.12 ₡2,295

-54.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 R$40.76

$19.92 ₡8,931

-59.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.41

$2.80 ₡1,255

-55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R$10.00

$3.52 ₡1,580

-44.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 R$3.85

$1.22 ₡549

-37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.30 R$194

$73.9 ₡33.1K

-48.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 R$6.81

$2.17 ₡973

-38.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 R$4.34

$1.56 ₡698

-44.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 R$35.35

$8.67 ₡3,886

-19.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.23

$1.55 ₡697

-33.55%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.8K R$131.0K

$34.5K ₡15.5M

-25.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.9K R$156.4K

$38.7K ₡17.4M

-20.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$78.3 R$397

$94.8 ₡42.5K

-17.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.80 R$70.0

$36.15 ₡16.2K

-61.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.30 R$97.9

$53.1 ₡23.8K

-63.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 R$128

$73.8 ₡33.1K

-65.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.74 R$125

$35.63 ₡16.0K

-30.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 R$39.11

$7.91 ₡3,548

-2.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$242 R$1,225

$490 ₡219.9K

-50.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,287 R$36.9K

$11.9K ₡5.3M

-38.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 R$283

$54.8 ₡24.6K

2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 R$255

$55.9 ₡25.1K

-9.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 R$459

$80.4 ₡36.0K

12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 R$352

$77.9 ₡34.9K

-10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 R$1,793

$801 ₡359.1K

-55.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 R$1,205

$790 ₡354.1K

-69.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 R$3,323

$4,005 ₡1.8M

-83.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 R$2,363

$1,409 ₡632.0K

-66.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,599 R$8,106

$7,064 ₡3.2M

-77.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,006 R$5,100

$1,236 ₡554.3K

-18.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$414 R$2,097

$887 ₡397.6K

-53.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

27.61%

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

Last update for Montes Claros: 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

Montes Claros

$238 28.2%

Nosara

$790 43% 232% $552

Groceries & Markets

Montes Claros

$190 22.5%

Nosara

$350 19.1% 83.9% $159

Clothing & Footwear

Montes Claros

$120 14.2%

Nosara

$121 6.6% 1% $1.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montes Claros

$111 13.2%

Nosara

$184 10% 65.2% $73

Eating Out

Montes Claros

$97 11.6%

Nosara

$213 11.6% 118% $115

Getting Around

Montes Claros

$47 5.6%

Nosara

$89 4.8% 89% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Montes Claros

$41 4.8%

Nosara

$90 4.9% 120% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Montes Claros and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 114% 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: $32.00 in Montes Claros vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $350 per month, with Montes Claros cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Montes Claros

🇨🇷 Nosara

🕒 Local time

18:35 6:35 PM

15:35 3:35 PM

3 h behind Montes Claros

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

414,240

4,912

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montes Claros Nosara 5,470 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Montes Claros
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

Montes Claros vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montes Claros and Nosara differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($844 vs $1,835 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 114% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $354 in Montes Claros versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montes Claros runs roughly 93% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $242 in Montes Claros versus $490 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $844 in Montes Claros versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montes Claros but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Montes Claros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Montes Claros 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.

Expats usually find Montes Claros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.