Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nosara and Volta Redonda

For one person, living is cheaper in Volta Redonda: $817 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 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
40

Cost of Living Index in Volta Redonda
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Volta Redonda Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Volta Redonda

🇧🇷 Brazil

$817

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Volta Redonda

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

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $817 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Volta Redonda $817

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $1,294 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Volta Redonda $1,294

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $1,771 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Volta Redonda $1,771

Nosara costs about 125% more than Volta Redonda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nosara sits 36% above the global median, while Volta Redonda is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$3.07 R$15.58

302.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$40.42 R$205

51.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$6.74 R$34.16

11.57%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$2.49 R$12.63

77.11%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$1.44 R$7.30

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$0.62 R$3.14

111.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$2.36 R$11.97

38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$4.50 R$22.81

-0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.01 R$5.14

54.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$1.93 R$9.76

56.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$1.23 R$6.24

104.07%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$2.39 R$12.10

49.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$6.84 R$34.65

8.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$3.26 R$16.52

222.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$10.03 R$50.9

39.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.17 R$11.01

8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.18 R$5.98

36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$0.98 R$4.96

389.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$2.05 R$10.42

-21.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$1.47 R$7.43

158.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.24 R$6.30

197.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.59 R$2.98

91.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$0.49 R$2.48

442.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$1.58 R$8.00

227.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$8.78 R$44.49

126.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.13 R$5.74

156.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$1.66 R$8.40

118.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$0.97 R$4.90

15.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$35.59 R$180

104.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.58 R$7.99

35.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$0.99 R$5.01

58.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$10.40 R$52.7

-18.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.23 R$6.25

23.58%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$24.2K R$122.8K

-10.77%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$33.7K R$170.6K

2.54%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$96.2 R$488

0.08%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$11.25 R$57.0

219.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$22.11 R$112

142.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$30.50 R$155

134.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$7.71 R$39.09

2.33%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$149 R$756

231.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$3,034 R$15.4K

290.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$45.44 R$230

18.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$39.63 R$201

39.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$50.6 R$256

54.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$94.3 R$478

-15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$276 R$1,398

185.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$204 R$1,033

289.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$590 R$2,988

568.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$387 R$1,959

267.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

$831 R$4,215

731.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

$674 R$3,414

81.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$303 R$1,536

184.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

11.68

-26.20%

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Last update for Volta Redonda: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Volta Redonda

$204 24.9% 74.3% $590

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Volta Redonda

$185 22.6% 47.6% $168

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Volta Redonda

$104 12.7% 51% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Volta Redonda

$130 15.9% 30.2% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Volta Redonda

$103 12.7% 13.8% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Volta Redonda

$46 5.6% 47.4% $41

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Volta Redonda

$46 5.6% 47.2% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $276 in Volta Redonda. 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 185% 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 $40.00 in Volta Redonda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $185 – making Volta Redonda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇧🇷 Volta Redonda

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

05:36 5:36 AM

3 h ahead of Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

261,563

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Nosara Volta Redonda 5,790 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Nosara
Volta Redonda

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 Volta Redonda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $817 in Volta Redonda – roughly 125% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $1,226 in Volta Redonda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Volta Redonda, 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 Volta Redonda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $149 in Volta Redonda. 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 Volta Redonda, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Volta Redonda 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 $817 in Volta Redonda 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 Volta Redonda. 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.