Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Cachoeirinha

For one person, living is cheaper in Cachoeirinha: $877 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Cachoeirinha
🇧🇷 Brazil
$877
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Cachoeirinha

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

A single person spends $1,835 per month in Nosara vs $877 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Cachoeirinha $877

A couple spends around $2,825 per month in Nosara vs $1,376 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Cachoeirinha $1,376

A family of three spends $3,814 per month in Nosara vs $1,876 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Cachoeirinha $1,876

Nosara costs about 109% more than Cachoeirinha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 35% above the global median, while Cachoeirinha is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$4.54 R$23.00
171.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$20.23 R$103
203.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$4.37 R$22.15
77.57%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$2.06 R$10.43
115.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$0.63 R$3.19
184.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$0.44 R$2.22
193.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$1.85 R$9.38
75.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$2.94 R$14.89
50.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$0.99 R$5.02
56.57%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$1.68 R$8.52
83.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$1.10 R$5.55
130.00%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$2.49 R$12.63
38.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$10.15 R$51.4
-27.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$4.97 R$25.22
106.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$10.00 R$50.7
41.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$2.39 R$12.12
-4.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.50 R$7.60
9.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$1.37 R$6.96
249.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$1.68 R$8.52
-2.38%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$1.21 R$6.14
218.18%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$1.08 R$5.49
247.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$0.94 R$4.74
15.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$0.82 R$4.16
215.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$2.51 R$12.73
103.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$7.85 R$39.79
153.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$1.18 R$5.99
137.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$2.20 R$11.14
60.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.01 R$5.11
20.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
$43.44 R$220
70.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$1.28 R$6.51
69.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$0.82 R$4.14
90.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$8.26 R$41.90
4.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.34 R$6.78
15.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$23.6K R$119.5K
46.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$34.3K R$173.7K
13.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$76.5 R$388
24.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$12.62 R$64.0
186.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$21.74 R$110
144.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$26.41 R$134
179.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
$27.65 R$140
28.86%
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$7.53 R$38.16
5.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$275 R$1,392
78.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$7,175 R$36.4K
65.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$50.8 R$257
7.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$59.4 R$301
-5.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$102 R$519
-21.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$80.6 R$409
-3.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$357 R$1,809
124.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$240 R$1,217
228.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$663 R$3,359
504.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$475 R$2,406
196.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$1,714 R$8,690
312.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$1,202 R$6,092
2.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Cachoeirinha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
$631 R$3,199
40.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
11.5
-25.04%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Cachoeirinha: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Cachoeirinha
$240 69.6% $550
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Cachoeirinha
$207 40.9% $143
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Cachoeirinha
$93 56% $119
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Cachoeirinha
$111 39.8% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Cachoeirinha
$132 9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Cachoeirinha
$41 53.7% $48
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Cachoeirinha
$53 40.5% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $801 in Nosara versus $357 in Cachoeirinha. 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 40% higher in Nosara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Nosara versus $20.00 in Cachoeirinha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $207 – making Cachoeirinha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇧🇷 Cachoeirinha
🕒 Local time
15:00 3:00 PM
18:00 6:00 PM
3 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
136,258
💱 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 Cachoeirinha 5,780 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Cachoeirinha

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 Cachoeirinha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Cachoeirinha compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,835 in Nosara, $877 in Cachoeirinha – roughly 109% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Cachoeirinha?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,753 per month in Nosara and $1,316 in Cachoeirinha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Cachoeirinha?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cachoeirinha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Nosara and Cachoeirinha?
Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $275 in Cachoeirinha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 69% more in Nosara, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cachoeirinha, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Nosara at $1,835. In Cachoeirinha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Nosara and Cachoeirinha?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $877 in Cachoeirinha to $1,835 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Nosara or Cachoeirinha safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Nosara and Cachoeirinha?
If budget matters most, go with Cachoeirinha. 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.

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