Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Arcos de Valdevez

For one person, living is cheaper in Arcos de Valdevez: $1,540 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Arcos de Valdevez
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Arcos de Valdevez Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Arcos de Valdevez

🇵🇹 Portugal

$1,540

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Arcos de Valdevez

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nosara and in Arcos de Valdevez actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $1,540 in Arcos de Valdevez, rent included.

Nosara $1,835
Arcos de Valdevez $1,540

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $2,260 in Arcos de Valdevez, rent included.

Nosara $2,825
Arcos de Valdevez $2,260

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $2,981 in Arcos de Valdevez, rent included.

Nosara $3,814
Arcos de Valdevez $2,981

Nosara costs about 19% more than Arcos de Valdevez, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Arcos de Valdevez sit above the global median – Nosara by 35%, Arcos de Valdevez by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$9.04 €8.04

36.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$42.22 €37.56

45.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$8.20 €7.29

-5.37%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$1.82 €1.62

143.96%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$1.49 €1.33

20.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$1.14 €1.01

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$2.26 €2.01

43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$2.82 €2.51

57.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.15 €1.03

34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$1.78 €1.58

73.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$1.41 €1.25

79.43%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$2.27 €2.02

51.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$8.69 €7.73

-15.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$8.11 €7.21

26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$14.33 €12.75

-1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$1.92 €1.70

19.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.47 €1.31

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$1.76 €1.56

172.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$2.29 €2.04

-28.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$1.84 €1.64

109.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$1.66 €1.47

125.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$1.02 €0.91

6.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$0.58 €0.52

346.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$5.74 €5.11

-10.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$4.42 €3.93

350.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.13 €1.01

147.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$1.72 €1.53

104.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$2.25 €2.00

-45.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$42.01 €37.37

75.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$4.51 €4.01

-51.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$1.48 €1.31

5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$20.86 €18.55

-58.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$2.14 €1.91

-27.57%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$27.5K €24.5K

25.63%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$37.9K €33.7K

2.32%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$101 €90.0

-6.23%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$16.68 €14.84

116.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$33.36 €29.67

59.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$41.30 €36.73

78.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$16.41 €14.60

117.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$8.80 €7.83

-10.11%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$458 €408

7.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$6,421 €5,711

85.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$95.2 €84.7

-42.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$35.80 €31.85

56.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$76.5 €68.0

5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$102 €90.4

-23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$961 €855

-16.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$753 €670

4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$1,519 €1,351

163.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$1,193 €1,061

18.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$3,051 €2,714

131.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$2,210 €1,966

-44.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$1,919 €1,707

-53.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

3.7

132.97%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Arcos de Valdevez: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Arcos de Valdevez

$753 48.9% 4.6% $36

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Arcos de Valdevez

$228 14.8% 34.7% $121

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Arcos de Valdevez

$146 9.5% 31.3% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Arcos de Valdevez

$151 9.8% 17.9% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Arcos de Valdevez

$139 9% 14.9% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Arcos de Valdevez

$59 3.8% 34.3% $31

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Arcos de Valdevez

$63 4.1% 29.1% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $961 in Arcos de Valdevez. 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 116% higher in Arcos de Valdevez, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $42.00 in Arcos de Valdevez. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $228 – making Arcos de Valdevez the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇵🇹 Arcos de Valdevez

🕒 Local time

18:13 6:13 PM

01:13 1:13 AM

7 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

20,720

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Arcos de Valdevez 8,210 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Arcos de Valdevez

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

Nosara vs Arcos de Valdevez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nosara costs about 19% more than Arcos de Valdevez, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $2,310 in Arcos de Valdevez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arcos de Valdevez, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $458 in Arcos de Valdevez. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arcos de Valdevez, where all-in costs run around $1,540, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Arcos de Valdevez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arcos de Valdevez costs $1,540 versus $1,835 in Nosara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Arcos de Valdevez. 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.