Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Criciuma

For one person, living is cheaper in Criciuma: $769 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
Learn more

Nosara Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Criciuma
Learn more

Criciuma Living Index

Jump to prices

Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,835

/mo nomad

Criciuma

🇧🇷 Brazil

$769

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Criciuma

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,835 in Nosara versus $769 in Criciuma.

Nosara $1,835
Criciuma $769

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,825 in Nosara versus $1,146 in Criciuma.

Nosara $2,825
Criciuma $1,146

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,814 in Nosara versus $1,523 in Criciuma.

Nosara $3,814
Criciuma $1,523

Living in Nosara is roughly 139% more expensive than in Criciuma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nosara is 35% above, Criciuma is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,535

$5.81 R$29.43

112.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.3 ₡27.5K

$22.21 R$113

176.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₡3,481

$5.94 R$30.09

30.64%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ₡1,992

$1.39 R$7.05

219.42%

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

$1.79 ₡803

$1.09 R$5.52

64.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₡580

$0.73 R$3.71

76.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,451

$1.56 R$7.90

107.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₡1,985

$2.00 R$10.16

121.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡696

$0.97 R$4.90

59.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,380

$1.49 R$7.55

106.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₡1,133

$1.10 R$5.57

130.00%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,546

$2.00 R$10.13

72.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ₡3,284

$8.31 R$42.12

-11.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 ₡4,594

$3.51 R$17.78

191.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,326

$8.71 R$44.15

61.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₡1,027

$2.04 R$10.34

12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡737

$1.22 R$6.17

34.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 ₡2,149

$0.99 R$5.04

383.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$1.57 R$7.98

4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.85 ₡1,727

$1.21 R$6.12

218.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,681

$1.09 R$5.51

244.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡488

$0.82 R$4.15

32.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₡1,160

$0.69 R$3.52

275.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₡2,295

$2.46 R$12.46

108.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 ₡8,931

$4.73 R$23.97

321.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₡1,255

$1.12 R$5.68

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 ₡1,580

$1.40 R$7.10

151.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 ₡549

$1.00 R$5.08

22.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.9 ₡33.1K

$40.09 R$203

84.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₡973

$0.50 R$2.54

334.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ₡698

$0.79 R$4.01

97.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 ₡3,886

$2.34 R$11.84

270.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡697

$1.31 R$6.63

18.32%

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

$30.9K R$156.9K

25.22%

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

$94.8 ₡42.5K

$72.1 R$365

31.55%

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

$36.15 ₡16.2K

$12.31 R$62.4

193.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 ₡23.8K

$21.92 R$111

142.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 ₡33.1K

$28.52 R$145

158.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.63 ₡16.0K

$39.86 R$202

-10.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 ₡3,548

$7.15 R$36.25

10.63%

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

$490 ₡219.9K

$170 R$861

188.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$2,980 R$15.1K

298.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ₡24.6K

$49.26 R$250

11.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 ₡25.1K

$29.58 R$150

88.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 ₡36.0K

$81.7 R$414

-1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$42.36 R$215

83.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ₡359.1K

$242 R$1,227

230.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 ₡354.1K

$210 R$1,063

276.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 ₡1.8M

$409 R$2,072

879.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 ₡632.0K

$270 R$1,370

421.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,064 ₡3.2M

$1,194 R$6,054

491.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₡554.3K

$633 R$3,209

95.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 ₡397.6K

$317 R$1,606

179.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

10.74

-19.74%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$790 43%

Criciuma

$210 27.3% 73.4% $580

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.1%

Criciuma

$170 22.1% 51.3% $180

Eating Out

Nosara

$213 11.6%

Criciuma

$100 13% 53% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$184 10%

Criciuma

$106 13.8% 42.2% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$121 6.6%

Criciuma

$91 11.9% 24.5% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$90 4.9%

Criciuma

$43 5.6% 52.2% $47

Getting Around

Nosara

$89 4.8%

Criciuma

$49 6.3% 45.3% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Nosara and $242 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 180% 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 $22.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $170 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇷 Criciuma

🕒 Local time

09:13 9:13 AM

12:13 12:13 PM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

214,493

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Criciuma 5,800 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Criciuma

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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 180% 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 $242 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 84% 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 $170 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $769 in Criciuma versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma 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 Criciuma 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 Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.