Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Vila Velha

For one person, living is cheaper in Vila Velha: $995 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 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
48

Cost of Living Index in Vila Velha
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Vila Velha Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Vila Velha

🇧🇷 Brazil

$995

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Vila Velha

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $995 in Vila Velha, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Vila Velha $995

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,609 in Vila Velha, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Vila Velha $1,609

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $2,223 in Vila Velha, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Vila Velha $2,223

Nosara costs about 85% more than Vila Velha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Vila Velha is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$9.40 R$47.66

31.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$39.36 R$200

55.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$8.18 R$41.47

-8.07%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.39 R$12.14

84.52%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.37 R$6.93

27.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.56 R$2.84

133.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$2.04 R$10.35

60.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$2.93 R$14.83

52.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.09 R$5.50

43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.64 R$8.30

84.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.97 R$9.97

27.41%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.42 R$12.27

47.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$9.44 R$47.86

-21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$4.53 R$22.96

132.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$9.35 R$47.40

49.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$1.97 R$10.00

19.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.00 R$5.07

61.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.22 R$6.17

293.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.31 R$6.64

22.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.27 R$6.44

199.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.31 R$6.65

181.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.46 R$2.35

145.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.78 R$3.96

241.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.36 R$17.05

54.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$9.01 R$45.67

120.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.81 R$9.16

60.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$2.27 R$11.51

59.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.98 R$4.97

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$52.2 R$264

39.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.44 R$7.28

48.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.85 R$4.33

84.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$13.13 R$66.6

-35.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.24 R$6.28

22.58%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$34.2K R$173.2K

-36.75%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$32.8K R$166.3K

5.20%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$116 R$590

-17.23%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$17.83 R$90.4

101.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$15.30 R$77.6

250.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$27.78 R$141

157.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

$27.25 R$138

28.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$6.83 R$34.61

15.52%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$433 R$2,193

14.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$15.0K R$76.0K

-20.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$79.3 R$402

-31.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$52.4 R$266

5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$84.2 R$427

-7.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$77.2 R$391

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$314 R$1,591

151.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$258 R$1,308

207.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$593 R$3,004

564.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$567 R$2,875

150.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$2,065 R$10.5K

234.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$2,060 R$10.4K

-40.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$421 R$2,136

104.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

11.33

-23.92%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Vila Velha

$258 25.9% 67.5% $536

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Vila Velha

$200 20.1% 43.1% $152

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Vila Velha

$152 15.3% 28.1% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Vila Velha

$149 15% 19.5% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Vila Velha

$132 13.3% 9.9% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Vila Velha

$41 4.2% 52.6% $46

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Vila Velha

$62 6.2% 29.1% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $314 in Vila Velha. 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 105% 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 $39.00 in Vila Velha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $200 – making Vila Velha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇷 Vila Velha

🕒 Local time

05:01 5:01 AM

08:01 8:01 AM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

467,722

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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 Vila Velha 6,000 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Vila Velha

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 Vila Velha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $995 in Vila Velha – roughly 85% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,493 in Vila Velha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 39% less in Vila Velha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $433 in Vila Velha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Vila Velha, where all-in costs run around $995, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Vila Velha 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 $995 in Vila Velha 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 Vila Velha. 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.