Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kotor and Perez Zeledon

For one person, living is cheaper in Perez Zeledon: $1,328 a month against $1,543 in Kotor, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kotor outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Kotor
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,543
/mo nomad
Perez Zeledon
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,328
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kotor and in Perez Zeledon

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,543 in Kotor versus $1,328 in Perez Zeledon.

  • Kotor $1,543
  • Perez Zeledon $1,328

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Kotor versus $2,371 in Perez Zeledon.

  • Kotor $2,446
  • Perez Zeledon $2,371

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,350 in Kotor versus $3,414 in Perez Zeledon.

  • Kotor $3,350
  • Perez Zeledon $3,414

Living in Kotor is roughly 16% more expensive than in Perez Zeledon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kotor is 14% above, Perez Zeledon is 2% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.27 €10.03
$9.34 ₡4,188
20.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.7 €53.1
$36.62 ₡16.4K
62.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.34 €10.08
$8.23 ₡3,689
37.79%
Cappuccino
$3.22 €2.86
$2.70 ₡1,210
19.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 €2.22
$1.96 ₡880
27.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 €1.30
$1.71 ₡766
-14.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.02 €2.69
$1.79 ₡804
68.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 €3.70
$3.08 ₡1,380
35.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.18
$1.64 ₡735
-18.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.93 €0.83
$3.03 ₡1,357
-69.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$2.47 ₡1,109
-19.84%
Eggs
$3.57 €3.18
$2.48 ₡1,113
43.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.78 €7.81
$10.62 ₡4,763
-17.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 €7.55
$10.36 ₡4,646
-18.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 €11.18
$13.82 ₡6,196
-9.04%
Apples (1kg)
$1.27 €1.13
$4.99 ₡2,238
-74.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 €1.49
$1.08 ₡483
55.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 €1.38
$4.85 ₡2,174
-68.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$3.96 ₡1,777
-38.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 €0.79
$3.86 ₡1,730
-77.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 €0.95
$3.78 ₡1,693
-71.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.46 ₡205
213.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 €0.76
$3.21 ₡1,441
-73.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 €3.92
$5.76 ₡2,582
-23.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.95 €7.07
$19.78 ₡8,870
-59.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 €1.01
$2.77 ₡1,240
-59.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 €1.55
$3.50 ₡1,572
-50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.66 €1.48
$0.77 ₡344
115.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.59 €39.67
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.79 €0.70
$2.51 ₡1,125
-68.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.61 ₡720
-32.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.32 €10.07
$8.81 ₡3,952
28.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.52
$1.54 ₡689
10.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K €24.5K
$22.3K ₡10.0M
23.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K €21.2K
$34.8K ₡15.6M
-31.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$128 €113
$92.9 ₡41.7K
37.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.30 €15.39
$23.91 ₡10.7K
-27.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.15 €28.60
$58.7 ₡26.3K
-45.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.75 €40.69
$72.4 ₡32.5K
-36.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.82 €17.63
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.30 €5.60
$7.46 ₡3,346
-15.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$335 €298
$508 ₡227.7K
-34.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,192 €6,398
$16.9K ₡7.6M
-57.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.9 €79.0
$72.9 ₡32.7K
21.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.84 €39.88
$56.8 ₡25.5K
-21.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 €85.4
$129 ₡58.0K
-25.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 €95.0
$130 ₡58.1K
-17.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$683 €607
$401 ₡180.0K
70.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 €591
$333 ₡149.4K
99.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,343 €1,195
$1,898 ₡851.1K
-29.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 €1,176
$1,258 ₡564.0K
5.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,875 €3,447
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,840 €2,526
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kotor
Perez Zeledon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$950 €845
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.95
8.62
-30.97%

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

Last update for Kotor: October 19, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kotor
$665
Perez Zeledon
$333 49.9% $332
Groceries & Markets
Kotor
$232
Perez Zeledon
$382 64.8% $150
Eating Out
Kotor
$202
Perez Zeledon
$162 20% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kotor
$177
Perez Zeledon
$176 0.9% $1.5
Clothing & Footwear
Kotor
$151
Perez Zeledon
$175 15.5% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Kotor
$58
Perez Zeledon
$87 49.7% $29
Getting Around
Kotor
$57
Perez Zeledon
$14 * 76.3% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Kotor and $401 in Perez Zeledon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Kotor vs $37.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $382, with Kotor cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇪 Kotor
🇨🇷 Perez Zeledon
🕒 Local time
12:51 12:51 PM
04:51 4:51 AM
8 h behind Kotor
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,000
135,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 24, 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
  • Kotor Perez Zeledon 10,310 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kotor
  • Perez Zeledon

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
Kotor vs Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Perez Zeledon cheaper than Kotor?
Perez Zeledon is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,315 in Kotor and $1,992 in Perez Zeledon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Kotor and Perez Zeledon?
Rent for a central apartment: $683 in Kotor versus $401 in Perez Zeledon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $335 in Kotor versus $508 in Perez Zeledon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Kotor or in Perez Zeledon?
Dining out is cheaper in Perez Zeledon – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $60.0 in Kotor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Kotor or in Perez Zeledon?
At $1,328 in Perez Zeledon versus $1,543 in Kotor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Perez Zeledon but tight or insufficient in Kotor. The gap between the two cities makes Perez Zeledon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kotor or Perez Zeledon more family-friendly?
For families, Perez Zeledon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kotor, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kotor or Perez Zeledon?
Safety-wise, Kotor and Perez Zeledon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Perez Zeledon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Kotor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Kotor vs other spots: cost of living compared

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