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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,460 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,202 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,943 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon.

Monthly costs are close between Mexico City and Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$10.91 ₡4,867

19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$49.10 ₡21.9K

9.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$10.05 ₡4,484

-3.68%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.74 ₡1,221

36.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.06 ₡919

-21.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.65 ₡735

-29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.95 ₡1,316

9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$3.96 ₡1,766

19.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.89 ₡844

-12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.88 ₡1,286

-4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.14 ₡955

-12.62%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$3.00 ₡1,337

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.81 ₡3,930

15.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$8.39 ₡3,745

-1.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$13.41 ₡5,983

-11.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.40 ₡1,071

25.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.08 ₡482

67.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.63 ₡725

22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.77 ₡792

12.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.04 ₡912

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.90 ₡849

19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.83 ₡372

75.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.76 ₡785

-38.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.94 ₡1,312

47.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$15.42 ₡6,879

10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$2.46 ₡1,096

-29.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.93 ₡1,305

22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.17 ₡524

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$40.23 ₡17.9K

-53.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.67 ₡743

-20.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.65 ₡738

-83.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$7.74 ₡3,454

-32.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.47 ₡655

-8.84%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$38.2K ₡17.1M

-49.24%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$32.1K ₡14.3M

-25.86%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$93.4 ₡41.7K

-56.44%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$25.73 ₡11.5K

4.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$60.7 ₡27.1K

-49.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$57.3 ₡25.6K

-7.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$23.65 ₡10.5K

12.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$9.97 ₡4,447

-34.70%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$566 ₡252.5K

-24.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$12.7K ₡5.7M

-17.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$59.7 ₡26.7K

-4.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$23.65 ₡10.6K

92.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$91.1 ₡40.6K

14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$49.15 ₡21.9K

119.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$765 ₡341.4K

31.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$603 ₡269.0K

3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$1,538 ₡685.9K

37.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$959 ₡427.6K

27.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$969 ₡432.2K

7.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.17

11.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $765 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $49.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $294, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Average pay runs 7% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $765 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $566 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $49.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,460 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.