Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and in Medellin: $1,596 and $1,614 a month, rent and utilities included.

76

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
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Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,596

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $1,596
Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $2,398 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $2,398
Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $3,200 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $3,200
Medellin $3,190

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon is about 1% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and Medellin sit above the global median – Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon by 18%, Medellin by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 ₡5,353

$7.93 COP 25.2K

50.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.58 ₡20.0K

$46.13 COP 146.3K

-3.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 ₡4,855

$9.50 COP 30.1K

13.89%

Cappuccino

$4.03 ₡1,808

$3.11 COP 9,866

29.58%

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

$2.38 ₡1,067

$1.83 COP 5,800

30.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₡819

$1.38 COP 4,360

32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 ₡1,510

$3.05 COP 9,672

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ₡1,800

$5.50 COP 17.4K

-27.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ₡931

$1.45 COP 4,600

43.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₡1,418

$2.36 COP 7,496

33.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,089

$1.68 COP 5,328

44.64%

Eggs

$3.07 ₡1,378

$2.86 COP 9,077

7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 ₡2,942

$10.19 COP 32.3K

-35.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 ₡3,479

$9.53 COP 30.2K

-18.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ₡6,350

$14.04 COP 44.5K

0.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ₡1,161

$4.07 COP 12.9K

-36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.50 COP 4,742

-25.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₡576

$2.17 COP 6,891

-40.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₡781

$2.31 COP 7,310

-24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ₡1,165

$1.93 COP 6,113

34.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ₡881

$1.64 COP 5,196

20.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₡311

$1.13 COP 3,571

-38.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₡898

$1.25 COP 3,954

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₡1,398

$3.99 COP 12.6K

-21.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 ₡6,773

$13.35 COP 42.3K

13.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,284

$1.70 COP 5,384

68.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₡1,663

$2.37 COP 7,525

56.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 ₡582

$1.21 COP 3,827

7.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.11 ₡19.3K

$76.5 COP 242.5K

-43.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₡825

$1.32 COP 4,179

39.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡693

$2.14 COP 6,774

-28.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,814

$8.47 COP 26.8K

0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡674

$1.30 COP 4,114

15.38%

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$28.0K COP 88.7M

-20.44%

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

$35.0K ₡15.7M

$35.4K COP 112.3M

-1.03%

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

$95.5 ₡42.8K

$172 COP 545.6K

-44.48%

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

$35.40 ₡15.9K

$13.37 COP 42.4K

164.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.86 ₡14.7K

$28.73 COP 91.1K

14.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 ₡33.0K

$45.24 COP 143.5K

62.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 ₡3,458

$6.28 COP 19.9K

22.77%

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

$972 ₡435.8K

$770 COP 2.4M

26.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$9,011 COP 28.6M

89.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 ₡29.0K

$86.4 COP 274.0K

-25.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.92 ₡11.6K

$57.1 COP 181.1K

-54.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 ₡43.5K

$137 COP 432.9K

-28.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₡24.4K

$97.9 COP 310.4K

-44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 ₡309.3K

$1,055 COP 3.3M

-34.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ₡295.6K

$616 COP 2.0M

7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 ₡888.2K

$1,892 COP 6.0M

4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 ₡508.8K

$1,023 COP 3.2M

10.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$976 ₡437.6K

$652 COP 2.1M

49.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

10.94

-21.21%

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

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$659 41.3%

Medellin

$616 38.2% 6.6% $43

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$299 18.8%

Medellin

$295 18.3% 1.6% $4.7

Eating Out

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$218 13.7%

Medellin

$168 10.4% 22.8% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$164 10.3%

Medellin

$214 13.3% 30.8% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$109 6.8%

Medellin

$170 10.5% 56.2% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$89 5.6%

Medellin

$58 3.6% 35% $31

Getting Around

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$58 3.6%

Medellin

$93 5.8% 61.3% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $690 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $1,055 in Medellin. 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 50% 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 $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $46.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $295 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

02:24 2:24 AM

03:24 3:24 AM

1 h ahead of Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Medellin 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Medellin

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

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,394 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $2,421 in Medellin. 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 $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 1%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, where all-in costs run around $1,596, than in Medellin at $1,614. 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.