Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Embu das Artes

For one person, living is cheaper in Embu das Artes: $818 a month against $1,846 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nosara, Costa Rica
Embu das Artes, Brazil
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,846
/mo nomad
Embu das Artes
🇧🇷 Brazil
$818
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Embu das Artes

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 Embu das Artes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,846 per month in Nosara vs $818 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

  • Nosara $1,846
  • Embu das Artes $818

A couple spends around $2,833 per month in Nosara vs $1,369 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

  • Nosara $2,833
  • Embu das Artes $1,369

A family of three spends $3,820 per month in Nosara vs $1,921 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

  • Nosara $3,820
  • Embu das Artes $1,921

Nosara costs about 126% more than Embu das Artes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Embu das Artes is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.36 ₡5,575
$6.67 R$35.66
85.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8 ₡27.4K
$36.97 R$198
64.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.88 ₡3,557
$8.21 R$43.92
-4.02%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₡1,986
$2.10 R$11.20
109.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₡776
$1.34 R$7.14
28.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 ₡603
$0.78 R$4.19
71.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.34 ₡1,505
$2.54 R$13.60
31.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.54 ₡2,048
$4.11 R$21.99
10.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ₡739
$1.11 R$5.94
47.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 ₡1,426
$1.78 R$9.50
77.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 ₡1,080
$1.07 R$5.70
123.36%
Eggs
$3.47 ₡1,564
$2.52 R$13.45
37.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.13 ₡3,217
$8.55 R$45.69
-16.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.32 ₡4,655
$4.11 R$21.98
151.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 ₡6,302
$10.14 R$54.2
37.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ₡1,031
$2.63 R$14.06
-12.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ₡731
$1.75 R$9.35
-7.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.81 ₡2,169
$1.46 R$7.81
229.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.68 ₡758
$1.71 R$9.12
-1.75%
Potato (1kg)
$3.91 ₡1,765
$1.29 R$6.89
203.10%
Onion (1kg)
$3.63 ₡1,640
$1.21 R$6.48
200.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ₡509
$0.84 R$4.50
34.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 ₡1,188
$0.73 R$3.91
260.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.02 ₡2,267
$2.67 R$14.30
88.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.71 ₡8,893
$8.59 R$45.95
129.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.91 ₡1,314
$1.54 R$8.21
88.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 ₡1,597
$2.37 R$12.66
49.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 ₡545
$0.92 R$4.92
31.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.8 ₡33.3K
$40.65 R$217
81.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.15 ₡969
$1.19 R$6.36
80.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ₡738
$0.90 R$4.80
81.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.77 ₡3,958
$8.96 R$47.91
-2.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ₡700
$1.19 R$6.34
30.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K ₡15.3M
$22.1K R$118.0K
53.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K ₡17.4M
$32.0K R$170.9K
20.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡43.0K
$40.23 R$215
136.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.29 ₡16.4K
$13.36 R$71.4
171.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.0 ₡23.5K
$17.29 R$92.4
200.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.6 ₡30.5K
$20.87 R$112
223.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.55 ₡16.0K
$27.47 R$147
29.41%
Cinema Ticket
$7.54 ₡3,404
$7.40 R$39.55
1.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$496 ₡224.0K
$410 R$2,194
20.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K ₡5.3M
$7,047 R$37.7K
67.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 ₡24.9K
$51.0 R$273
8.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 ₡25.3K
$54.2 R$290
3.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.8 ₡35.1K
$90.6 R$484
-14.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.1 ₡35.7K
$78.7 R$421
0.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$817 ₡368.9K
$343 R$1,835
138.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$806 ₡363.6K
$199 R$1,066
304.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,988 ₡1.8M
$632 R$3,378
531.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₡644.9K
$440 R$2,351
224.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,068 ₡3.2M
$1,796 R$9,605
293.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,197 ₡540.1K
$1,168 R$6,244
2.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nosara
Embu das Artes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$888 ₡400.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
11.12
-22.48%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 24, 2026

Last update for Embu das Artes: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nosara
$806
Embu das Artes
$199 75.3% $606
Groceries & Markets
Nosara
$351
Embu das Artes
$206 41.4% $145
Eating Out
Nosara
$213
Embu das Artes
$133 37.9% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nosara
$184
Embu das Artes
$71 61.4% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Nosara
$121
Embu das Artes
$123 2.4% $2.9
Getting Around
Nosara
$89
Embu das Artes
$50 43.8% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Nosara
$83
Embu das Artes
$36 56.9% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Nosara versus $343 in Embu das Artes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Nosara versus $37 in Embu das Artes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $206 – making Embu das Artes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Nosara
🇧🇷 Embu das Artes
🕒 Local time
11:36 11:36 AM
14:36 2:36 PM
3 h ahead of Nosara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,912
250,691
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nosara Embu das Artes 5,640 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nosara
  • Embu das Artes

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 Embu das Artes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nosara and in Embu das Artes compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,846 in Nosara, $818 in Embu das Artes – roughly 126% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nosara compared to Embu das Artes?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,769 per month in Nosara and $1,227 in Embu das Artes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nosara and Embu das Artes?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Embu das Artes, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $343 there versus $817 in Nosara.
Which city is more expensive overall: Nosara or Embu das Artes?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,846 in Nosara and $818 in Embu das Artes. That’s a gap of about 126%.
How do commuting costs compare in Nosara and in Embu das Artes?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Embu das Artes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Embu das Artes, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Nosara at $1,846. In Embu das Artes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Nosara or Embu das Artes?
Families tend to lean toward Embu das Artes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Nosara or Embu das Artes?
For expats, Embu das Artes is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 126% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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