Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: $1,596 a month against $1,839 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 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
76

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
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Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Living Index

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Nosara

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,839

/mo nomad

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,596

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nosara and in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

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 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,839 per month in Nosara vs $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, rent included.

Nosara $1,839
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $1,596

A couple spends around $2,828 per month in Nosara vs $2,398 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, rent included.

Nosara $2,828
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $2,398

A family of three spends $3,818 per month in Nosara vs $3,200 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, rent included.

Nosara $3,818
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $3,200

Nosara costs about 15% more than Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nosara and Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon sit above the global median – Nosara by 36%, Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.35 ₡5,539

$11.94 ₡5,353

3.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 ₡27.4K

$44.58 ₡20.0K

37.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₡3,373

$10.82 ₡4,855

-30.50%

Cappuccino

$4.41 ₡1,978

$4.03 ₡1,808

9.43%

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

$1.74 ₡780

$2.38 ₡1,067

-26.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₡587

$1.83 ₡819

-28.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,471

$3.37 ₡1,510

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,004

$4.01 ₡1,800

11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$2.08 ₡931

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 ₡1,355

$3.16 ₡1,418

-4.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,125

$2.43 ₡1,089

3.29%

Eggs

$3.57 ₡1,603

$3.07 ₡1,378

16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₡3,333

$6.56 ₡2,942

13.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,717

$7.76 ₡3,479

35.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,265

$14.16 ₡6,350

-1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₡1,052

$2.59 ₡1,161

-9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡720

$1.12 ₡504

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 ₡2,152

$1.29 ₡576

272.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡724

$1.74 ₡781

-7.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₡1,703

$2.60 ₡1,165

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,657

$1.97 ₡881

87.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡507

$0.69 ₡311

63.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₡1,191

$2.00 ₡898

33.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 ₡2,321

$3.12 ₡1,398

66.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.88 ₡8,916

$15.10 ₡6,773

31.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.86 ₡1,284

1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ₡1,626

$3.71 ₡1,663

-2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.30 ₡582

-13.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$43.11 ₡19.3K

68.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₡958

$1.84 ₡825

16.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.54 ₡693

1.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 ₡3,823

$8.50 ₡3,814

0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ₡682

$1.50 ₡674

1.33%

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

$21.6K ₡9.7M

$22.3K ₡10.0M

-2.96%

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

$34.5K ₡15.5M

$35.0K ₡15.7M

-1.52%

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

$96.3 ₡43.2K

$95.5 ₡42.8K

0.79%

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

$35.89 ₡16.1K

$35.40 ₡15.9K

1.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 ₡24.0K

$32.86 ₡14.7K

63.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.6 ₡32.1K

$73.5 ₡33.0K

-2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.91 ₡15.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.89 ₡3,539

$7.71 ₡3,458

2.33%

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

$494 ₡221.6K

$972 ₡435.8K

-49.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₡5.3M

$17.1K ₡7.7M

-30.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₡24.2K

$64.6 ₡29.0K

-16.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.8K

$25.92 ₡11.6K

113.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 ₡34.9K

$97.0 ₡43.5K

-19.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 ₡35.7K

$54.5 ₡24.4K

46.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₡353.4K

$690 ₡309.3K

14.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 ₡356.2K

$659 ₡295.6K

20.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,939 ₡1.8M

$1,981 ₡888.2K

98.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₡636.5K

$1,135 ₡508.8K

25.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,912 ₡3.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₡549.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 ₡387.3K

$976 ₡437.6K

-11.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

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

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Nosara

$794 43.2%

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$659 41.3% 17% $135

Groceries & Markets

Nosara

$352 19.2%

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$299 18.8% 15% $53

Eating Out

Nosara

$212 11.5%

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$218 13.7% 2.9% $6.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Nosara

$186 10.1%

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$164 10.3% 11.8% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Nosara

$120 6.5%

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$109 6.8% 9.3% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Nosara

$87 4.8%

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$89 5.6% 1.8% $1.6

Getting Around

Nosara

$87 4.7%

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$58 3.6% 33.6% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Nosara versus $690 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 13% 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 $61.0 in Nosara versus $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $299 – making Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Nosara

🇨🇷 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

Same time as Nosara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,912

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,839 in Nosara, $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,758 per month in Nosara and $2,394 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.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Nosara and $972 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. 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 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, where all-in costs run around $1,596, than in Nosara at $1,839. In Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon 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 $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon 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 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. 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.