Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bauru

For one person, living is cheaper in Bauru: $834 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 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
41

Cost of Living Index in Bauru
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Bauru Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Bauru

🇧🇷 Brazil

$834

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bauru

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,839 in Nosara versus $834 in Bauru.

Nosara $1,839
Bauru $834

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,828 in Nosara versus $1,279 in Bauru.

Nosara $2,828
Bauru $1,279

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,818 in Nosara versus $1,724 in Bauru.

Nosara $3,818
Bauru $1,724

Living in Nosara is roughly 120% more expensive than in Bauru, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 36% above, Bauru is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$4.96 R$25.17

148.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$27.17 R$138

125.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$7.58 R$38.43

-0.79%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$1.62 R$8.20

172.22%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$0.95 R$4.83

83.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.56 R$2.86

133.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.55 R$7.87

111.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.65 R$13.45

68.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.02 R$5.19

52.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.54 R$7.79

96.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.25 R$6.34

100.80%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.57 R$13.04

38.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$7.90 R$40.03

-5.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$4.30 R$21.81

144.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$6.32 R$32.04

121.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.14 R$10.84

9.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.46 R$7.42

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.28 R$6.47

275.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.78 R$9.02

-9.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.37 R$6.94

177.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.28 R$6.50

188.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$1.37 R$6.94

-17.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$1.01 R$5.13

163.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$2.39 R$12.10

116.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$6.88 R$34.87

188.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.22 R$6.21

137.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.41 R$12.20

50.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.97 R$4.92

15.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$30.11 R$153

141.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.92 R$9.75

11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.33 R$6.72

18.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$3.92 R$19.89

117.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.19 R$6.03

27.73%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$23.7K R$120.3K

-8.96%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$35.7K R$180.9K

-3.28%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$137 R$694

-29.64%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$10.52 R$53.3

241.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$20.33 R$103

163.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$19.18 R$97.3

273.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$23.46 R$119

48.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$5.42 R$27.49

45.57%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$257 R$1,302

92.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$5,947 R$30.1K

99.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$69.7 R$353

-22.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$50.7 R$257

9.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$108 R$550

-28.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$78.0 R$395

2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$246 R$1,249

219.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$167 R$848

374.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$456 R$2,314

763.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$305 R$1,545

365.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,615 R$8,185

328.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$722 R$3,661

69.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$379 R$1,919

128.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

9.59

-10.11%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bauru: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Bauru

$167 20.1% 78.9% $627

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Bauru

$188 22.5% 46.8% $165

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Bauru

$101 12.1% 52.3% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Bauru

$168 20.1% 9.7% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Bauru

$138 16.6% 15% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Bauru

$30 3.6% 65.6% $57

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Bauru

$43 5.1% 51.2% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $788 in Nosara and $246 in Bauru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 128% 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 $27.00 in Bauru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $188 per month, with Bauru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇷 Bauru

🕒 Local time

05:45 5:45 AM

08:45 8:45 AM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

379,146

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Bauru 5,370 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Bauru

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 Bauru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bauru wins on cost – living expenses run 120% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bauru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 128% 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: $788 in Nosara versus $246 in Bauru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bauru – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,839 per month in Nosara versus $834 in Bauru – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $834 in Bauru versus $1,839 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bauru but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Bauru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bauru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $834 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bauru hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nosara and Bauru 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 Bauru 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.