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 $1,460 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,202 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,943 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon costs about 16% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon sits 9% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₡4,867

$11.99 MX$210

-9.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.10 ₡21.9K

$41.78 MX$731

17.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 ₡4,484

$10.75 MX$188

-6.51%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₡1,221

$3.50 MX$61.1

-21.71%

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

$2.06 ₡919

$1.45 MX$25.33

42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡735

$0.88 MX$15.47

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,316

$2.95 MX$51.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ₡1,766

$4.51 MX$78.9

-12.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₡844

$1.43 MX$25.04

32.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 ₡1,286

$1.84 MX$32.13

56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ₡955

$1.57 MX$27.42

36.31%

Eggs

$3.00 ₡1,337

$2.51 MX$43.92

19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 ₡3,930

$8.28 MX$145

6.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 ₡3,745

$8.43 MX$147

-0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ₡5,983

$10.68 MX$187

25.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ₡1,071

$2.61 MX$45.62

-8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ₡482

$1.44 MX$25.15

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ₡725

$1.96 MX$34.31

-16.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ₡792

$2.09 MX$36.62

-15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 ₡912

$1.85 MX$32.37

10.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 ₡849

$2.17 MX$37.90

-12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 ₡372

$1.03 MX$18.04

-19.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₡785

$1.07 MX$18.78

64.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₡1,312

$4.10 MX$71.7

-28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 ₡6,879

$10.17 MX$178

51.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₡1,096

$1.68 MX$29.29

46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₡1,305

$2.53 MX$44.17

15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 ₡524

$0.51 MX$8.90

129.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.23 ₡17.9K

$26.04 MX$455

54.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 ₡743

$3.23 MX$56.5

-48.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡738

$2.41 MX$42.06

-31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 ₡3,454

$3.23 MX$56.5

139.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡655

$1.32 MX$23.10

11.36%

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

$38.2K ₡17.1M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

28.76%

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

$32.1K ₡14.3M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

35.84%

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

$93.4 ₡41.7K

$82.0 MX$1,434

13.90%

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

$25.73 ₡11.5K

$22.95 MX$401

12.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 ₡27.1K

$30.11 MX$527

101.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡25.6K

$52.0 MX$909

10.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.65 ₡10.5K

$18.53 MX$324

27.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 ₡4,447

$4.98 MX$87.0

100.20%

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

$566 ₡252.5K

$197 MX$3,452

186.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.7M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

138.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 ₡26.7K

$35.60 MX$622

67.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.65 ₡10.6K

$40.33 MX$705

-41.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ₡40.6K

$78.8 MX$1,377

15.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.15 ₡21.9K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-44.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 ₡341.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 ₡269.0K

$474 MX$8,288

27.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 ₡685.9K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-6.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 ₡427.6K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-20.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ₡432.2K

$654 MX$11.4K

48.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.42

-10.95%

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

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $947 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 48% 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 $49.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 16%, 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 $2,190 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $1,884 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 $1,460 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $1,256, than in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon at $1,460. 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.