Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: $1,596 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,596
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,771 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $1,596
  • Montevideo $1,771

A couple spends around $2,398 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,740 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $2,398
  • Montevideo $2,740

A family of three spends $3,200 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $3,708 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $3,200
  • Montevideo $3,708

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon is about 10% cheaper than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and Montevideo sit above the global median – Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon by 18%, Montevideo by 31%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 ₡5,353
$15.16 UYU 609
-21.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.58 ₡20.0K
$69.2 UYU 2,776
-35.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.82 ₡4,855
$14.65 UYU 588
-26.14%
Cappuccino
$4.03 ₡1,808
$4.46 UYU 179
-9.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₡1,067
$2.67 UYU 107
-10.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 ₡819
$2.00 UYU 80.4
-8.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.37 ₡1,510
$4.83 UYU 194
-30.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 ₡1,800
$3.80 UYU 152
5.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 ₡931
$1.36 UYU 54.8
52.94%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 ₡1,418
$2.87 UYU 115
10.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.43 ₡1,089
$1.75 UYU 70.2
38.86%
Eggs
$3.07 ₡1,378
$4.68 UYU 188
-34.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.56 ₡2,942
$13.88 UYU 557
-52.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.76 ₡3,479
$11.98 UYU 481
-35.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.16 ₡6,350
$11.97 UYU 480
18.30%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 ₡1,161
$2.78 UYU 111
-6.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 ₡504
$2.74 UYU 110
-59.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.29 ₡576
$1.77 UYU 71.2
-27.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.74 ₡781
$3.24 UYU 130
-46.30%
Potato (1kg)
$2.60 ₡1,165
$1.97 UYU 79.2
31.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 ₡881
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-4.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 ₡311
$1.37 UYU 55.1
-49.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 ₡898
$1.88 UYU 75.3
6.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.12 ₡1,398
$5.59 UYU 224
-44.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.10 ₡6,773
$8.78 UYU 352
71.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.86 ₡1,284
$2.26 UYU 90.9
26.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ₡1,663
$2.75 UYU 110
34.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.30 ₡582
$1.53 UYU 61.5
-15.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.11 ₡19.3K
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-41.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 ₡825
$1.91 UYU 76.7
-3.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 ₡693
$0.40 UYU 16.18
285.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.50 ₡3,814
$10.33 UYU 415
-17.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₡674
$2.13 UYU 85.6
-29.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K ₡10.0M
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
-17.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K ₡15.7M
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-3.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.5 ₡42.8K
$188 UYU 7,557
-49.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.40 ₡15.9K
$20.54 UYU 824
72.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.86 ₡14.7K
$44.81 UYU 1,798
-26.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$73.5 ₡33.0K
$54.0 UYU 2,166
36.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.75 UYU 793
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.71 ₡3,458
$11.95 UYU 480
-35.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$972 ₡435.8K
$634 UYU 25.5K
53.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K ₡7.7M
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
54.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.6 ₡29.0K
$102 UYU 4,099
-36.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.92 ₡11.6K
$57.5 UYU 2,309
-54.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.0 ₡43.5K
$127 UYU 5,079
-23.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.5 ₡24.4K
$128 UYU 5,131
-57.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$690 ₡309.3K
$719 UYU 28.8K
-4.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ₡295.6K
$568 UYU 22.8K
16.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,981 ₡888.2K
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
72.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,135 ₡508.8K
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
10.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$976 ₡437.6K
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-21.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
5.74
50.17%

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 Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
$659
Montevideo
$568 13.9% $91
Groceries & Markets
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
$299
Montevideo
$332 10.8% $32
Eating Out
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
$218
Montevideo
$269 23.5% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
$164
Montevideo
$254 54.9% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
$109
Montevideo
$186 71.1% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
$89
Montevideo
$78 12.4% $11
Getting Around
Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
$58
Montevideo
$84 45.7% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $690 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $719 in Montevideo. 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 28% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $69.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $332 – making Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
13:32 1:32 PM
16:32 4:32 PM
3 h ahead of Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.13 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Montevideo 5,920 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
  • Montevideo

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 Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,394 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $2,656 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $972 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $634 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and in Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon or in Montevideo?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, where all-in costs run around $1,596, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon or Montevideo more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon or Montevideo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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