Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Queluz and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Queluz: $1,696 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Nosara despite lower rent and utilities.

Queluz
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,696
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Queluz and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Queluz and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,696 per month in Queluz vs $1,839 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Queluz $1,696
  • Nosara $1,839

A couple spends around $2,489 per month in Queluz vs $2,828 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Queluz $2,489
  • Nosara $2,828

A family of three spends $3,283 per month in Queluz vs $3,818 in Nosara, rent included.

  • Queluz $3,283
  • Nosara $3,818

Queluz is about 8% cheaper than Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Queluz and Nosara sit above the global median – Queluz by 26%, Nosara by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.58 €12.08
$12.35 ₡5,539
9.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.14 €25.03
$61.2 ₡27.4K
-54.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.63 €5.89
$7.52 ₡3,373
-11.84%
Cappuccino
$0.88 €0.78
$4.41 ₡1,978
-80.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.74 ₡780
-1.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.31 ₡587
-12.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.09 €0.97
$3.28 ₡1,471
-66.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$4.47 ₡2,004
-49.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 €1.25
$1.56 ₡701
-10.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.35 €1.20
$3.02 ₡1,355
-55.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$2.51 ₡1,125
-37.05%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$3.57 ₡1,603
13.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.92 €15.05
$7.43 ₡3,333
127.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.72 €6.87
$10.52 ₡4,717
-26.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.08 €24.08
$13.97 ₡6,265
93.84%
Apples (1kg)
$3.08 €2.74
$2.35 ₡1,052
31.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.61 ₡720
-19.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.78 €1.58
$4.80 ₡2,152
-62.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 €1.96
$1.61 ₡724
37.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 €1.79
$3.80 ₡1,703
-47.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$3.69 ₡1,657
-43.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 €1.57
$1.13 ₡507
56.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$2.66 ₡1,191
-65.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.61 €7.66
$5.18 ₡2,321
66.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.98 €5.32
$19.88 ₡8,916
-69.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.83
$2.90 ₡1,300
-67.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 €1.40
$3.63 ₡1,626
-56.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.51 €2.23
$1.12 ₡504
124.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.06 €40.97
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-36.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.82 €3.40
$2.14 ₡958
78.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.57 ₡703
-30.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.72 €13.98
$8.52 ₡3,823
84.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 €1.91
$1.52 ₡682
41.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K €29.4K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
53.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
10.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €132
$96.3 ₡43.2K
54.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.68 €18.39
$35.89 ₡16.1K
-42.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.5 €49.34
$53.6 ₡24.0K
3.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.18 €33.07
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-48.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.79 €16.71
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-46.18%
Cinema Ticket
$8.85 €7.87
$7.89 ₡3,539
12.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$651 €579
$494 ₡221.6K
31.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.4K €13.7K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
29.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.2 €69.5
$53.9 ₡24.2K
44.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 €49.88
$55.4 ₡24.8K
1.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.4 €68.8
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-0.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.3 €59.0
$79.6 ₡35.7K
-16.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$841 €748
$788 ₡353.4K
6.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$755 €672
$794 ₡356.2K
-4.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,391 €1,237
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-64.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,273 €1,132
$1,419 ₡636.5K
-10.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,816 €2,505
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-59.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,117 €1,883
$1,224 ₡549.0K
72.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Queluz
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$864 ₡387.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.65
8.62
-46.06%

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

Last update for Queluz: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Queluz
$755
Nosara
$794 5.2% $39
Groceries & Markets
Queluz
$310
Nosara
$352 13.6% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Queluz
$225
Nosara
$186 17.4% $39
Eating Out
Queluz
$160
Nosara
$212 32% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Queluz
$125
Nosara
$120 4% $5
Getting Around
Queluz
$65
Nosara
$87 33.3% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Queluz
$55
Nosara
$87 59.2% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $841 in Queluz versus $788 in Nosara. 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 $28.00 in Queluz versus $61.0 in Nosara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $352 – making Queluz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Queluz
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
15:24 3:24 PM
08:24 8:24 AM
7 h behind Queluz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
75,169
4,912
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Queluz Nosara 8,140 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Queluz
  • Nosara

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
Queluz vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Queluz and in Nosara compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,696 in Queluz, $1,839 in Nosara – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Queluz compared to Nosara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,543 per month in Queluz and $2,758 in Nosara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Queluz and Nosara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Queluz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Queluz and in Nosara?
Public transport costs about 58% less in Queluz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Queluz and Nosara?
Kindergarten costs $651 per month in Queluz and $494 in Nosara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Queluz, where all-in costs run around $1,696, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Queluz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nosara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Queluz and Nosara?
It depends on your priorities. Nosara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,696 in Queluz to $1,839 in Nosara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Queluz or Nosara safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Queluz and Nosara?
If budget matters most, go with Queluz. 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.

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