Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon: $1,596 a month against $1,938 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Learn more

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

Jump to prices

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,596

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $1,596
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $2,398 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $2,398
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $3,200 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $3,200
San Jose $3,934

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon is about 18% cheaper than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and San Jose sit above the global median – Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon by 18%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 ₡5,353

$12.38 ₡5,551

-3.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.58 ₡20.0K

$60.9 ₡27.3K

-26.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 ₡4,855

$11.45 ₡5,135

-5.50%

Cappuccino

$4.03 ₡1,808

$4.39 ₡1,967

-8.20%

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

$2.38 ₡1,067

$2.70 ₡1,211

-11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₡819

$1.93 ₡864

-5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 ₡1,510

$3.20 ₡1,433

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ₡1,800

$4.41 ₡1,979

-9.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ₡931

$2.44 ₡1,093

-14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₡1,418

$3.05 ₡1,369

3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,089

$2.41 ₡1,081

0.83%

Eggs

$3.07 ₡1,378

$3.40 ₡1,523

-9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 ₡2,942

$10.75 ₡4,823

-38.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 ₡3,479

$10.43 ₡4,679

-25.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ₡6,350

$13.99 ₡6,273

1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ₡1,161

$5.25 ₡2,353

-50.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.59 ₡712

-29.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₡576

$4.69 ₡2,103

-72.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₡781

$3.95 ₡1,770

-55.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ₡1,165

$3.92 ₡1,760

-33.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ₡881

$3.68 ₡1,651

-46.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₡311

$1.12 ₡503

-38.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₡898

$3.19 ₡1,429

-37.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₡1,398

$6.00 ₡2,692

-48.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 ₡6,773

$19.56 ₡8,771

-22.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,284

$2.82 ₡1,263

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₡1,663

$3.59 ₡1,611

3.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 ₡582

$1.12 ₡503

16.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.11 ₡19.3K

$66.8 ₡30.0K

-35.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₡825

$2.50 ₡1,119

-26.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡693

$1.63 ₡733

-5.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,814

$8.50 ₡3,812

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡674

$1.56 ₡701

-3.85%

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$22.4K ₡10.0M

-0.63%

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

$35.0K ₡15.7M

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-1.50%

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

$95.5 ₡42.8K

$95.2 ₡42.7K

0.34%

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

$35.40 ₡15.9K

$35.58 ₡16.0K

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.86 ₡14.7K

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-43.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 ₡33.0K

$72.7 ₡32.6K

1.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 ₡3,458

$7.58 ₡3,401

1.72%

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

$972 ₡435.8K

$1,001 ₡449.0K

-2.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

-0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 ₡29.0K

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-8.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.92 ₡11.6K

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-53.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 ₡43.5K

$130 ₡58.2K

-25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₡24.4K

$131 ₡58.7K

-58.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 ₡309.3K

$927 ₡415.8K

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ₡295.6K

$774 ₡347.2K

-14.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 ₡888.2K

$1,967 ₡882.0K

0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 ₡508.8K

$1,288 ₡577.6K

-11.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$976 ₡437.6K

$1,016 ₡455.8K

-4.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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 San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$659 41.3%

San Jose

$774 40% 17.4% $115

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$299 18.8%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 34% $102

Eating Out

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$218 13.7%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 5.2% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$164 10.3%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 15.6% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$109 6.8%

San Jose

$174 9% 59.8% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$89 5.6%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 1.2% $1.1

Getting Around

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$58 3.6%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 41.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $690 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $927 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 4% 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 $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $401 – making Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

Same time as Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon San Jose 200 km

From you

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
San Jose

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 San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, $1,938 in San Jose – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,394 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $2,907 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 55% less in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $972 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon and $1,001 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 $1,596, than in San Jose at $1,938. 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 $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon to $1,938 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.