Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Perez Zeledon and Kotor

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Perez Zeledon costs roughly 14% less than in Kotor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.34 ₡4,188
$11.27 €10.03
-17.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.62 ₡16.4K
$59.7 €53.1
-38.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.23 ₡3,689
$11.34 €10.08
-27.43%
Cappuccino
$2.70 ₡1,210
$3.22 €2.86
-16.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 ₡880
$2.50 €2.22
-21.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 ₡766
$1.47 €1.30
16.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.79 ₡804
$3.02 €2.69
-40.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 ₡1,380
$4.16 €3.70
-25.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ₡735
$1.33 €1.18
23.31%
White Bread (500g)
$3.03 ₡1,357
$0.93 €0.83
225.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.47 ₡1,109
$1.98 €1.76
24.75%
Eggs
$2.48 ₡1,113
$3.57 €3.18
-30.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.62 ₡4,763
$8.78 €7.81
20.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 ₡4,646
$8.49 €7.55
22.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.82 ₡6,196
$12.57 €11.18
9.94%
Apples (1kg)
$4.99 ₡2,238
$1.27 €1.13
292.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 ₡483
$1.68 €1.49
-35.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.85 ₡2,174
$1.55 €1.38
212.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 ₡1,777
$2.42 €2.15
63.64%
Potato (1kg)
$3.86 ₡1,730
$0.88 €0.79
338.64%
Onion (1kg)
$3.78 ₡1,693
$1.07 €0.95
253.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 ₡205
$1.44 €1.28
-68.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.21 ₡1,441
$0.86 €0.76
273.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.76 ₡2,582
$4.41 €3.92
30.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.78 ₡8,870
$7.95 €7.07
148.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 ₡1,240
$1.13 €1.01
145.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ₡1,572
$1.75 €1.55
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 ₡344
$1.66 €1.48
-53.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.59 €39.67
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.51 ₡1,125
$0.79 €0.70
217.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 ₡720
$1.09 €0.97
47.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.81 ₡3,952
$11.32 €10.07
-22.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 ₡689
$1.70 €1.52
-9.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K ₡10.0M
$27.6K €24.5K
-19.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K ₡15.6M
$23.9K €21.2K
45.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.9 ₡41.7K
$128 €113
-27.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.91 ₡10.7K
$17.30 €15.39
38.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.7 ₡26.3K
$32.15 €28.60
82.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.4 ₡32.5K
$45.75 €40.69
58.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.82 €17.63
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.46 ₡3,346
$6.30 €5.60
18.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$508 ₡227.7K
$335 €298
51.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K ₡7.6M
$7,192 €6,398
134.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.9 ₡32.7K
$88.9 €79.0
-17.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.8 ₡25.5K
$44.84 €39.88
26.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$129 ₡58.0K
$96.0 €85.4
34.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₡58.1K
$107 €95.0
21.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$401 ₡180.0K
$683 €607
-41.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$333 ₡149.4K
$665 €591
-49.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,898 ₡851.1K
$1,343 €1,195
41.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,258 ₡564.0K
$1,322 €1,176
-4.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,875 €3,447
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,840 €2,526
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perez Zeledon
Kotor
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$950 €845
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.95
44.87%

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

Last update for Perez Zeledon: October 20, 2026

Last update for Kotor: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Perez Zeledon
$382
Kotor
$232 39.3% $150
Accommodation & Living
Perez Zeledon
$333
Kotor
$665 99.6% $332
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perez Zeledon
$176
Kotor
$177 0.9% $1.5
Clothing & Footwear
Perez Zeledon
$175
Kotor
$151 13.5% $24
Eating Out
Perez Zeledon
$162
Kotor
$202 25.1% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Perez Zeledon
$87
Kotor
$58 33.2% $29
Getting Around
Perez Zeledon
$14 *
Kotor
$57 323% $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 $401 in Perez Zeledon and $683 in Kotor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

Good to know
🇨🇷 Perez Zeledon
🇲🇪 Kotor
🕒 Local time
04:00 4:00 AM
12:00 12:00 PM
8 h ahead of Perez Zeledon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
135,000
13,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

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).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Perez Zeledon Kotor 10,310 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Perez Zeledon
  • Kotor

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
Perez Zeledon vs Kotor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kotor cheaper than Perez Zeledon?
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 $1,992 in Perez Zeledon and $2,315 in Kotor 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 Perez Zeledon and Kotor?
Rent for a central apartment: $401 in Perez Zeledon versus $683 in Kotor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $508 in Perez Zeledon versus $335 in Kotor. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Perez Zeledon or in Kotor?
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 Perez Zeledon or in Kotor?
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 Perez Zeledon or Kotor 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, Perez Zeledon or Kotor?
Safety-wise, Perez Zeledon and Kotor 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.

Perez Zeledon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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