Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Bertioga

For one person, living is cheaper in Bertioga: $841 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.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Bertioga
🇧🇷 Brazil
$841
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Bertioga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $841 in Bertioga.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Bertioga $841

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $1,313 in Bertioga.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Bertioga $1,313

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $1,785 in Bertioga.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Bertioga $1,785

Living in Nosara is roughly 118% more expensive than in Bertioga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$6.02 R$30.52
104.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$17.88 R$90.6
242.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$9.12 R$46.21
-14.91%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$2.29 R$11.63
93.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$1.27 R$6.46
40.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$0.89 R$4.49
44.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$2.37 R$12.01
36.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$3.98 R$20.20
11.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$0.88 R$4.44
76.14%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$1.31 R$6.65
135.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$1.33 R$6.72
90.23%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$1.35 R$6.82
155.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$10.11 R$51.3
-27.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$3.57 R$18.10
186.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$7.94 R$40.24
77.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$2.29 R$11.63
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$0.92 R$4.65
78.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$0.97 R$4.93
393.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$1.02 R$5.18
60.78%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$1.03 R$5.23
273.79%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$0.81 R$4.09
362.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$0.61 R$3.10
78.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$0.61 R$3.09
324.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$2.47 R$12.52
107.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$4.90 R$24.83
306.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$1.57 R$7.93
78.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$2.57 R$13.02
36.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.02 R$5.18
19.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
$50.6 R$256
46.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$1.20 R$6.11
80.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$0.72 R$3.63
116.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$8.55 R$43.33
1.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.26 R$6.41
23.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$23.4K R$118.8K
47.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$32.8K R$166.4K
18.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$65.0 R$329
45.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$10.08 R$51.1
258.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$17.71 R$89.8
199.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$26.01 R$132
183.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
$26.50 R$134
34.45%
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$8.07 R$40.90
-1.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$80.5 R$408
509.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$11.0K R$55.6K
8.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$59.8 R$303
-8.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$50.5 R$256
10.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$58.3 R$295
37.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$79.1 R$401
-1.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$354 R$1,795
126.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$236 R$1,197
234.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$676 R$3,426
492.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$472 R$2,392
198.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$1,850 R$9,376
281.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$1,170 R$5,932
5.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Bertioga
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
10.81
-20.26%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Bertioga: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Bertioga
$236 70.1% $553
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Bertioga
$168 52% $182
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Bertioga
$132 38.2% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Bertioga
$93 49.6% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Bertioga
$111 7.9% $9.6
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Bertioga
$42 53% $47
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Bertioga
$59 33% $29

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $18.00 in Bertioga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $168 per month, with Bertioga cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇧🇷 Bertioga
🕒 Local time
18:44 6:44 PM
21:44 9:44 PM
3 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
64,188
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Bertioga 5,710 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Bertioga

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 Bertioga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bertioga cheaper than Nosara?
Bertioga is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,753 in Nosara and $1,262 in Bertioga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Nosara and Bertioga?
Rent for a central apartment: $801 in Nosara versus $354 in Bertioga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Nosara and in Bertioga?
Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Nosara or in Bertioga?
Dining out is cheaper in Bertioga – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $61.0 in Nosara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nosara or in Bertioga?
At $841 in Bertioga versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bertioga but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Bertioga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Nosara or Bertioga more family-friendly?
For families, Bertioga 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.
Which city is safer, Nosara or Bertioga?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Bertioga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Bertioga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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