Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Teresopolis

For one person, living is cheaper in Teresopolis: $668 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 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
32

Cost of Living Index in Teresopolis
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Teresopolis Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Teresopolis

🇧🇷 Brazil

$668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Teresopolis

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $668 in Teresopolis, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Teresopolis $668

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,130 in Teresopolis, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Teresopolis $1,130

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,592 in Teresopolis, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Teresopolis $1,592

Nosara costs about 175% more than Teresopolis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Teresopolis is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$3.47 R$17.61

255.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$28.25 R$143

116.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$7.29 R$36.98

3.16%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$1.78 R$9.00

147.75%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.39 R$7.03

25.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.61 R$3.10

114.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$1.17 R$5.95

180.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$4.99 R$25.32

-10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.93 R$4.72

67.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.51 R$7.64

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.41 R$7.17

78.01%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$1.95 R$9.89

83.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$8.95 R$45.38

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$3.52 R$17.87

198.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$8.34 R$42.30

67.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.84 R$9.35

27.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.17 R$5.92

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$0.97 R$4.94

394.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.28 R$6.51

25.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$0.65 R$3.29

484.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$0.85 R$4.33

334.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.57 R$2.89

98.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.77 R$3.88

245.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$1.62 R$8.21

219.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$5.87 R$29.73

238.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.43 R$7.24

102.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.37 R$6.96

164.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.92 R$4.67

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$35.62 R$181

103.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$0.98 R$4.97

118.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.00 R$5.09

57.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$2.48 R$12.56

243.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.31 R$6.62

16.03%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$21.4K R$108.6K

0.87%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$30.8K R$156.2K

12.04%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$29.72 R$151

223.99%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$24.87 R$126

44.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$19.49 R$98.8

174.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$30.02 R$152

138.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$19.98 R$101

74.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$6.85 R$34.70

15.18%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$143 R$727

244.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$2,670 R$13.5K

344.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$26.23 R$133

105.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$28.00 R$142

97.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$67.5 R$342

15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$48.32 R$245

64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$378 R$1,917

108.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$163 R$825

387.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$535 R$2,711

636.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$407 R$2,062

248.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$1,206 R$6,112

473.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$496 R$2,517

73.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

10.67

-19.21%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Teresopolis: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Teresopolis

$163 24.4% 79.5% $632

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Teresopolis

$171 25.6% 51.6% $182

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Teresopolis

$95 14.2% 55.2% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Teresopolis

$74 11.1% 60.1% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Teresopolis

$77 11.5% 36.3% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Teresopolis

$44 6.5% 50% $44

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Teresopolis

$45 6.8% 48% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $378 in Teresopolis. 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 74% 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 $28.00 in Teresopolis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $171 – making Teresopolis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇷 Teresopolis

🕒 Local time

01:37 1:37 AM

04:37 4:37 AM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

165,123

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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

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Highest

Between locations

Nosara Teresopolis 5,880 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Teresopolis

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 Teresopolis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $668 in Teresopolis – roughly 175% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,002 in Teresopolis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 104% less in Teresopolis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $143 in Teresopolis. 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 Teresopolis, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Teresopolis 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 $668 in Teresopolis to $1,839 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 Teresopolis. 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.