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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,483 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,758 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,195 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,661 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,906 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $3,565 in Playa del Coco, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and Playa del Coco sit above the global median – Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon by 11%, Playa del Coco by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₡4,923

$16.19 ₡7,366

-33.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.25 ₡22.4K

$79.2 ₡36.0K

-37.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 ₡4,496

$10.21 ₡4,646

-3.23%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₡1,242

$7.09 ₡3,224

-61.50%

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

$2.04 ₡928

$2.39 ₡1,085

-14.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡720

$1.94 ₡884

-18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 ₡1,321

$3.21 ₡1,461

-9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ₡1,766

$6.01 ₡2,736

-35.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₡881

$2.48 ₡1,128

-21.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 ₡1,318

$2.85 ₡1,295

1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,022

$2.21 ₡1,006

1.81%

Eggs

$2.88 ₡1,309

$2.90 ₡1,318

-0.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ₡4,190

$8.67 ₡3,945

6.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 ₡3,877

$12.78 ₡5,815

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 ₡6,117

$13.42 ₡6,103

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,095

$4.58 ₡2,085

-47.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₡510

$1.51 ₡687

-25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ₡718

$4.38 ₡1,993

-63.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 ₡833

$1.63 ₡741

12.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 ₡973

$3.46 ₡1,573

-38.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₡868

$2.94 ₡1,336

-35.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₡375

$0.95 ₡434

-13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₡820

$2.92 ₡1,327

-38.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₡1,328

$5.06 ₡2,300

-42.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ₡6,962

$16.84 ₡7,659

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,149

$2.18 ₡991

16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,316

$2.58 ₡1,172

12.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₡550

$1.16 ₡525

4.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.61 ₡18.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ₡738

$2.90 ₡1,319

-44.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ₡725

$1.84 ₡836

-13.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 ₡3,655

$7.77 ₡3,532

3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡664

$1.91 ₡868

-23.56%

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

$38.0K ₡17.3M

$37.2K ₡16.9M

2.31%

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

$32.9K ₡15.0M

$32.5K ₡14.8M

1.34%

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

$92.9 ₡42.3K

$172 ₡78.0K

-45.84%

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

$25.71 ₡11.7K

$25.70 ₡11.7K

0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$60.6 ₡27.5K

-0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡26.1K

$57.8 ₡26.3K

-0.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.90 ₡10.9K

$24.19 ₡11.0K

-1.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 ₡4,410

$10.12 ₡4,603

-4.15%

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

$578 ₡262.9K

$519 ₡235.9K

11.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 ₡27.3K

$61.9 ₡28.1K

-2.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.32 ₡11.1K

$52.2 ₡23.7K

-53.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 ₡40.7K

$126 ₡57.1K

-28.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 ₡22.8K

$107 ₡48.7K

-53.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡352.8K

$752 ₡342.1K

3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₡267.5K

$595 ₡270.8K

-1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 ₡689.6K

$1,544 ₡702.1K

-1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₡438.4K

$955 ₡434.3K

0.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$327 ₡148.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$993 ₡451.7K

$781 ₡355.4K

27.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Coco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $752 in Playa del Coco. 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 27% 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 $49.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $79.0 in Playa del Coco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $366 – making Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon 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 Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Coco costs about 19% more than Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,224 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $2,637 in Playa del Coco. 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 $49.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $79.0 in Playa del Coco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Playa del Coco, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, where all-in costs run around $1,483, than in Playa del Coco at $1,758. In Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Coco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon costs $1,483 versus $1,758 in Playa del Coco. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Coco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.