Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,604 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,512 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,419 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon costs about 24% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon sits 17% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.21 ₡5,442

$11.71 MX$199

4.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.63 ₡19.4K

$46.59 MX$791

-6.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 ₡4,937

$11.65 MX$198

-4.89%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₡1,741

$4.09 MX$69.5

-4.40%

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

$2.35 ₡1,045

$1.37 MX$23.34

71.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₡835

$0.83 MX$14.16

125.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,494

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₡1,860

$6.91 MX$117

-39.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₡934

$1.73 MX$29.33

21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 ₡1,383

$2.26 MX$38.39

37.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₡1,141

$1.77 MX$30.05

44.63%

Eggs

$3.28 ₡1,463

$2.73 MX$46.41

20.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 ₡3,036

$9.18 MX$156

-25.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 ₡3,546

$8.92 MX$151

-10.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 ₡6,431

$12.60 MX$214

14.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 ₡1,199

$3.02 MX$51.3

-10.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ₡480

$1.57 MX$26.68

-31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ₡608

$2.13 MX$36.10

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₡778

$2.26 MX$38.46

-22.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 ₡1,156

$2.00 MX$34.04

29.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₡881

$2.06 MX$35.06

-3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₡285

$1.18 MX$20.04

-45.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₡907

$1.20 MX$20.45

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 ₡1,399

$4.63 MX$78.7

-32.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 ₡6,814

$10.69 MX$182

43.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,267

$1.62 MX$27.50

75.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₡1,651

$2.88 MX$48.93

28.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 ₡590

$0.57 MX$9.74

131.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.19 ₡20.1K

$29.83 MX$507

51.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡833

$5.45 MX$92.5

-65.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡724

$3.70 MX$62.9

-55.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 ₡3,852

$5.98 MX$102

44.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₡660

$1.55 MX$26.38

-4.52%

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

$21.6K ₡9.6M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-3.09%

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

$35.6K ₡15.9M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

37.17%

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

$94.7 ₡42.2K

$89.1 MX$1,514

6.29%

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

$36.87 ₡16.4K

$25.04 MX$425

47.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.98 ₡15.1K

$31.50 MX$535

7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 ₡32.3K

$67.8 MX$1,151

7.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 ₡3,674

$5.05 MX$85.8

63.17%

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

$982 ₡437.4K

$225 MX$3,820

336.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ₡7.8M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

315.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 ₡29.3K

$47.44 MX$806

38.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.43 ₡11.8K

$44.98 MX$764

-41.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₡44.7K

$82.0 MX$1,392

22.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 ₡24.8K

$92.1 MX$1,564

-39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₡358.8K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 ₡256.4K

$405 MX$6,884

41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ₡904.0K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

4.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 ₡601.5K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

3.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,010 ₡450.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

34.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

11.45

-23.32%

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

Last update for Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 35% higher in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, 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 $44.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,407 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,604 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon at $1,604. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.