Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Sao Luis

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Luis: $834 a month against $1,837 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

89

Cost of Living Index in Nosara
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Nosara Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Sao Luis
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Sao Luis Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,837

/mo nomad

Sao Luis

🇧🇷 Brazil

$834

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Sao Luis

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

A single person spends $1,837 per month in Nosara vs $834 in Sao Luis, rent included.

Nosara $1,837
Sao Luis $834

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Nosara vs $1,310 in Sao Luis, rent included.

Nosara $2,775
Sao Luis $1,310

A family of three spends $3,712 per month in Nosara vs $1,786 in Sao Luis, rent included.

Nosara $3,712
Sao Luis $1,786

Nosara costs about 120% more than Sao Luis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 37% above the global median, while Sao Luis is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,509

$6.60 R$32.93

85.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 ₡27.1K

$39.74 R$198

51.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 ₡3,399

$6.82 R$34.03

10.56%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,941

$2.15 R$10.71

100.47%

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

$1.72 ₡773

$1.27 R$6.33

35.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₡608

$0.73 R$3.65

84.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₡1,459

$1.96 R$9.77

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 ₡2,018

$2.44 R$12.16

83.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡707

$1.11 R$5.52

41.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₡1,429

$1.93 R$9.64

64.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,091

$1.11 R$5.54

118.02%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,609

$2.27 R$11.31

57.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,349

$10.14 R$50.6

-26.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 ₡4,697

$4.28 R$21.36

143.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 ₡6,156

$7.64 R$38.12

78.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ₡1,044

$2.11 R$10.55

9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡728

$1.39 R$6.95

15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 ₡2,138

$1.22 R$6.09

288.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ₡747

$1.73 R$8.64

-4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 ₡1,679

$1.33 R$6.64

179.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,611

$1.34 R$6.67

166.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₡497

$0.90 R$4.47

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₡1,149

$0.73 R$3.62

249.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₡2,232

$2.44 R$12.17

102.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.01 ₡9,020

$8.21 R$41.00

143.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,256

$1.27 R$6.36

119.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₡1,589

$2.32 R$11.60

52.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡537

$0.85 R$4.27

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 ₡32.5K

$38.52 R$192

87.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₡1,011

$1.03 R$5.12

117.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ₡701

$0.94 R$4.70

64.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.86 ₡3,993

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ₡708

$1.21 R$6.05

29.75%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.8K ₡9.8M

$24.2K R$120.6K

-9.77%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.6K ₡15.6M

$30.4K R$151.5K

14.09%

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

$93.5 ₡42.1K

$97.5 R$487

-4.11%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$18.02 R$90.0

94.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 ₡23.2K

$21.42 R$107

140.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₡32.2K

$20.11 R$100

255.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 ₡16.0K

$15.27 R$76.2

132.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 ₡3,535

$6.84 R$34.14

14.62%

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

$490 ₡220.7K

$183 R$915

166.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.4M

$2,911 R$14.5K

308.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ₡24.1K

$64.7 R$323

-17.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$54.6 R$273

2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ₡35.7K

$75.1 R$375

5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 ₡35.6K

$59.0 R$294

33.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 ₡354.3K

$363 R$1,812

116.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₡351.6K

$187 R$935

316.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 ₡1.7M

$580 R$2,893

565.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 ₡634.4K

$330 R$1,648

326.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,972 ₡3.1M

$1,575 R$7,864

342.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 ₡541.3K

$721 R$3,598

66.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₡395.0K

$386 R$1,929

126.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$780 43%

Sao Luis

$187 22.3% 76% $593

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$350 19.3%

Sao Luis

$197 23.6% 43.5% $152

Eating Out

Nosara

$209 11.6%

Sao Luis

$122 14.5% 41.9% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$180 9.9%

Sao Luis

$137 16.3% 24% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.6%

Sao Luis

$114 13.6% 5.3% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Sao Luis

$34 4% 61.2% $53

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Sao Luis

$48 5.7% 45.1% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Nosara versus $363 in Sao Luis. 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 127% 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 $60.0 in Nosara versus $40.00 in Sao Luis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $197 – making Sao Luis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇷 Sao Luis

🕒 Local time

01:22 1:22 AM

04:22 4:22 AM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

1,037,775

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.6 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Sao Luis 4,790 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Sao Luis

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 Sao Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,837 in Nosara, $834 in Sao Luis – roughly 120% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,756 per month in Nosara and $1,251 in Sao Luis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Luis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 87% less in Sao Luis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Nosara and $183 in Sao Luis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Luis, where all-in costs run around $834, than in Nosara at $1,837. In Sao Luis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $834 in Sao Luis to $1,837 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Sao Luis. 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.