Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,587 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,498 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,410 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$12.22 ₡5,471

-34.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$45.39 ₡20.3K

6.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$11.22 ₡5,024

-16.04%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$3.95 ₡1,768

-25.57%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$2.35 ₡1,054

-20.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$1.89 ₡844

-22.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$3.31 ₡1,482

-3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.23 ₡1,894

34.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$2.11 ₡946

-31.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$3.17 ₡1,418

-24.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$2.54 ₡1,136

-33.07%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$3.18 ₡1,423

-9.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$6.48 ₡2,900

55.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.96 ₡3,565

25.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$14.44 ₡6,464

-1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.73 ₡1,220

45.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.14 ₡510

38.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$1.31 ₡586

64.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$1.77 ₡792

29.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$2.65 ₡1,187

-24.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$2.01 ₡901

-24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$0.69 ₡309

73.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$1.94 ₡870

-34.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.11 ₡1,393

23.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$15.43 ₡6,907

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$2.84 ₡1,272

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$3.60 ₡1,610

-23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$1.38 ₡617

-9.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$45.04 ₡20.2K

72.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$1.82 ₡813

-28.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$1.57 ₡702

38.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$9.01 ₡4,030

-7.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.50 ₡673

-9.33%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$21.7K ₡9.7M

26.76%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$35.1K ₡15.7M

4.18%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$95.8 ₡42.9K

76.15%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$36.38 ₡16.3K

-62.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$33.90 ₡15.2K

-16.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$74.9 ₡33.5K

-38.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.40 ₡3,759

-20.83%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$1,008 ₡451.3K

-20.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$17.2K ₡7.7M

-46.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$66.1 ₡29.6K

32.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$26.33 ₡11.8K

125.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$101 ₡45.2K

37.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$56.5 ₡25.3K

80.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$792 ₡354.5K

35.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$642 ₡287.1K

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,844 ₡825.5K

4.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,257 ₡562.7K

-16.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,017 ₡455.0K

-35.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.78

24.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $792 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. 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 55% higher in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $303 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Medellin vs Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,380 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $1,587 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, where all-in costs run around $1,587, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.