Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Assis

For one person, living is cheaper in Assis: $862 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Assis
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Assis Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Assis

🇧🇷 Brazil

$862

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Assis

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 Assis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $862 in Assis.

Nosara $1,835
Assis $862

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $1,343 in Assis.

Nosara $2,825
Assis $1,343

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $1,825 in Assis.

Nosara $3,814
Assis $1,825

Living in Nosara is roughly 113% more expensive than in Assis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 35% above, Assis is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$5.98 R$30.31

106.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$23.64 R$120

159.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$5.92 R$30.03

31.08%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$2.01 R$10.21

120.90%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$1.18 R$5.97

51.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$0.82 R$4.14

57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$1.62 R$8.21

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$2.02 R$10.24

119.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$1.12 R$5.68

38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$1.26 R$6.40

144.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$1.30 R$6.60

94.62%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$1.53 R$7.74

125.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$7.51 R$38.09

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$5.24 R$26.56

95.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$8.58 R$43.50

64.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$2.12 R$10.76

8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.17 R$5.92

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$1.22 R$6.18

292.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$1.51 R$7.63

8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$1.15 R$5.83

234.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$0.98 R$4.98

282.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$0.91 R$4.62

19.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$0.97 R$4.92

167.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$2.46 R$12.47

108.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$6.21 R$31.48

220.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.44 R$7.29

94.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$2.02 R$10.24

74.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$1.01 R$5.09

20.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$44.54 R$226

65.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$2.37 R$12.02

-8.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$0.78 R$3.94

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$2.85 R$14.45

204.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.25 R$6.33

24.00%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$35.3K R$178.8K

-2.07%

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

$38.7K ₡17.4M

$32.8K R$166.0K

18.30%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$86.7 R$439

9.39%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$10.97 R$55.6

229.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$23.00 R$117

130.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$26.07 R$132

183.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$28.03 R$142

27.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$5.89 R$29.85

34.30%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$212 R$1,074

131.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$7,614 R$38.6K

56.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$43.34 R$220

26.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$58.9 R$299

-5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$86.0 R$436

-6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$60.1 R$305

29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$359 R$1,817

123.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$243 R$1,234

224.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$677 R$3,432

491.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$471 R$2,385

199.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$1,718 R$8,708

311.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$1,206 R$6,112

2.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$594 R$3,011

49.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

10.5

-17.90%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Assis: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Assis

$243 28.2% 69.2% $546

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Assis

$184 21.3% 47.4% $166

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Assis

$110 12.7% 48.3% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Assis

$121 14% 34.4% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Assis

$112 13% 7.7% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Assis

$38 4.4% 57.8% $52

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Assis

$55 6.4% 38.2% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Nosara and $359 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 49% 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: $61.0 in Nosara vs $24.00 in Assis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $184 per month, with Assis cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇷 Assis

🕒 Local time

15:56 3:56 PM

18:56 6:56 PM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

101,409

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

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).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Assis 5,280 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Assis

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 Assis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assis is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Nosara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $801 in Nosara versus $359 in Assis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 66% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $212 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $862 in Assis versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assis but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Assis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nosara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Assis 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 Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.