Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Crato

For one person, living is cheaper in Crato: $879 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
Crato
🇧🇷 Brazil
$879
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Crato

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $879 in Crato.

  • Nosara $1,835
  • Crato $879

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $1,403 in Crato.

  • Nosara $2,825
  • Crato $1,403

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $1,926 in Crato.

  • Nosara $3,814
  • Crato $1,926

Living in Nosara is roughly 109% more expensive than in Crato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Crato
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.34 ₡5,535
$5.99 R$30.38
106.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.3 ₡27.5K
$31.52 R$160
94.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.76 ₡3,481
$7.84 R$39.77
-1.02%
Cappuccino
$4.44 ₡1,992
$2.01 R$10.21
120.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ₡803
$1.32 R$6.71
35.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₡580
$0.77 R$3.93
67.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 ₡1,451
$2.03 R$10.29
59.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 ₡1,985
$2.98 R$15.13
48.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Crato
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡696
$1.02 R$5.15
51.96%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$1.69 R$8.55
82.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 ₡1,133
$1.29 R$6.52
96.12%
Eggs
$3.45 ₡1,546
$2.26 R$11.45
52.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 ₡3,284
$9.37 R$47.49
-21.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 ₡4,594
$4.31 R$21.84
137.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,326
$8.66 R$43.90
62.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,027
$2.24 R$11.37
2.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ₡737
$1.31 R$6.65
25.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.79 ₡2,149
$1.18 R$5.97
305.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 ₡735
$1.59 R$8.05
3.14%
Potato (1kg)
$3.85 ₡1,727
$1.22 R$6.21
215.57%
Onion (1kg)
$3.75 ₡1,681
$1.08 R$5.49
247.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₡488
$0.83 R$4.22
31.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 ₡1,160
$0.82 R$4.13
215.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 ₡2,295
$2.57 R$13.04
99.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.92 ₡8,931
$8.10 R$41.06
145.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.80 ₡1,255
$1.33 R$6.72
110.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 ₡1,580
$2.11 R$10.72
66.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Crato
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 ₡549
$1.04 R$5.27
17.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.9 ₡33.1K
$43.73 R$222
68.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.17 ₡973
$1.28 R$6.48
69.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 ₡698
$0.92 R$4.67
69.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.67 ₡3,886
$8.22 R$41.69
5.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡697
$1.31 R$6.62
18.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K ₡15.5M
$23.4K R$118.7K
47.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K ₡17.4M
$32.7K R$165.6K
18.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Crato
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.8 ₡42.5K
$76.8 R$389
23.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.15 ₡16.2K
$12.21 R$61.9
196.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.1 ₡23.8K
$20.74 R$105
155.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Crato
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.8 ₡33.1K
$26.10 R$132
182.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.63 ₡16.0K
$27.93 R$142
27.57%
Cinema Ticket
$7.91 ₡3,548
$7.45 R$37.76
6.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Crato
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$490 ₡219.9K
$280 R$1,420
74.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₡5.3M
$7,310 R$37.1K
62.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Crato
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ₡24.6K
$56.6 R$287
-3.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.9 ₡25.1K
$50.9 R$258
9.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.4 ₡36.0K
$88.6 R$449
-9.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 ₡34.9K
$72.6 R$368
7.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Crato
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$801 ₡359.1K
$354 R$1,794
126.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$790 ₡354.1K
$239 R$1,210
230.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,005 ₡1.8M
$677 R$3,430
491.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 ₡632.0K
$476 R$2,411
196.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,064 ₡3.2M
$1,689 R$8,565
318.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,236 ₡554.3K
$1,182 R$5,991
4.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Crato
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₡397.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
11
-21.64%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Crato: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$790
Crato
$239 69.8% $551
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$350
Crato
$195 44.4% $155
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Crato
$120 43.5% $92
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Crato
$110 40.4% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Crato
$121 0.1% $0.1
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$90
Crato
$41 54.2% $49
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Crato
$54 39.4% $35

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $61.0 in Nosara vs $32.00 in Crato for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $195 per month, with Crato cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇧🇷 Crato
🕒 Local time
13:24 1:24 PM
16:24 4:24 PM
3 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
131,050
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 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 22, 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 Crato 5,470 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Crato

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 Crato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nosara or Crato?
Crato wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Nosara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Crato the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nosara and in Crato?
You'd need roughly $2,753 in Nosara and $1,318 in Crato 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Nosara compared to Crato?
Rent for a central apartment: $801 in Nosara versus $354 in Crato. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Nosara compared to Crato?
A monthly transit pass in Crato runs roughly 69% less than in Nosara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Nosara and in Crato?
Childcare runs $490 in Nosara versus $280 in Crato. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Nosara or in Crato?
At $879 in Crato versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Crato but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Crato the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nosara or Crato?
Both work as nomad bases, but Crato delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $879 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Crato hard to pass up.
How safe is Nosara compared to Crato?
Safety-wise, Nosara and Crato 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Crato gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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