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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,483 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,571 in San Jose, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,195 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,481 in San Jose, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,906 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $3,392 in San Jose, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon is about 6% cheaper than San Jose, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and San Jose sit above the global median – Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon by 11%, San Jose by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₡4,923

$10.80 ₡4,912

0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.25 ₡22.4K

$59.5 ₡27.1K

-17.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 ₡4,496

$10.15 ₡4,616

-2.66%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ₡1,242

$3.88 ₡1,764

-29.64%

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

$2.04 ₡928

$1.98 ₡901

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡720

$1.66 ₡754

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 ₡1,321

$3.02 ₡1,374

-3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ₡1,766

$4.75 ₡2,161

-18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₡881

$1.99 ₡903

-2.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 ₡1,318

$2.89 ₡1,315

0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,022

$2.21 ₡1,006

1.81%

Eggs

$2.88 ₡1,309

$2.93 ₡1,331

-1.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ₡4,190

$9.72 ₡4,419

-5.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 ₡3,877

$9.05 ₡4,115

-5.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 ₡6,117

$13.49 ₡6,136

-0.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,095

$4.40 ₡2,003

-45.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₡510

$1.49 ₡679

-24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ₡718

$4.29 ₡1,950

-63.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 ₡833

$3.45 ₡1,571

-46.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 ₡973

$3.55 ₡1,615

-39.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₡868

$3.09 ₡1,404

-38.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₡375

$0.97 ₡441

-15.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₡820

$2.82 ₡1,282

-36.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₡1,328

$5.40 ₡2,457

-45.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 ₡6,962

$22.19 ₡10.1K

-31.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,149

$2.53 ₡1,151

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,316

$2.79 ₡1,267

3.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 ₡550

$1.02 ₡465

18.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.61 ₡18.0K

$41.73 ₡19.0K

-5.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 ₡738

$1.82 ₡827

-10.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ₡725

$1.77 ₡806

-10.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 ₡3,655

$7.93 ₡3,608

1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡664

$1.45 ₡658

0.69%

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

$38.0K ₡17.3M

$37.7K ₡17.2M

0.76%

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

$32.9K ₡15.0M

$32.4K ₡14.7M

1.63%

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

$92.9 ₡42.3K

$92.1 ₡41.9K

0.96%

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

$25.71 ₡11.7K

$26.20 ₡11.9K

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.4K

$60.1 ₡27.3K

0.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡26.1K

$56.7 ₡25.8K

1.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.90 ₡10.9K

$37.58 ₡17.1K

-36.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 ₡4,410

$9.98 ₡4,541

-2.81%

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

$578 ₡262.9K

$560 ₡254.8K

3.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 ₡27.3K

$63.7 ₡29.0K

-5.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.32 ₡11.1K

$52.1 ₡23.7K

-53.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 ₡40.7K

$125 ₡57.0K

-28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 ₡22.8K

$107 ₡48.7K

-53.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡352.8K

$879 ₡399.8K

-11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₡267.5K

$541 ₡246.1K

8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 ₡689.6K

$1,418 ₡644.7K

6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 ₡438.4K

$1,017 ₡462.7K

-5.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,258 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,806 ₡821.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$993 ₡451.7K

$1,042 ₡474.0K

-4.69%

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 San Jose: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $879 in San Jose. 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 5% higher in San Jose, 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 $60.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $367 – 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 San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,483 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, $1,571 in San Jose – roughly 6% apart. San Jose costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,224 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $2,356 in San Jose. 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.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $578 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $560 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, where all-in costs run around $1,483, than in San Jose at $1,571. In Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,483 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon to $1,571 in San Jose. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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