Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago: $1,190 a month against $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
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Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Santiago
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Santiago Living Index

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Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,596

/mo nomad

Santiago

🇨🇱 Chile

$1,190

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,596 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,190 in Santiago, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $1,596
Santiago $1,190

A couple spends around $2,398 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $1,892 in Santiago, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $2,398
Santiago $1,892

A family of three spends $3,200 per month in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $2,595 in Santiago, rent included.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon $3,200
Santiago $2,595

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon costs about 34% more than Santiago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon sits 18% above the global median, while Santiago is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 ₡5,353

$10.37 CLP 10.2K

15.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.58 ₡20.0K

$51.7 CLP 50.9K

-13.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.82 ₡4,855

$8.94 CLP 8,805

21.03%

Cappuccino

$4.03 ₡1,808

$3.26 CLP 3,211

23.62%

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

$2.38 ₡1,067

$1.67 CLP 1,640

42.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₡819

$1.23 CLP 1,212

48.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 ₡1,510

$3.98 CLP 3,914

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ₡1,800

$4.54 CLP 4,465

-11.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ₡931

$1.28 CLP 1,263

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₡1,418

$1.85 CLP 1,817

70.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 ₡1,089

$1.59 CLP 1,567

52.83%

Eggs

$3.07 ₡1,378

$4.10 CLP 4,031

-25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 ₡2,942

$11.41 CLP 11.2K

-42.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 ₡3,479

$6.69 CLP 6,586

15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ₡6,350

$10.81 CLP 10.6K

30.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ₡1,161

$1.94 CLP 1,905

33.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.52 CLP 1,497

-26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₡576

$1.60 CLP 1,577

-19.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₡781

$1.69 CLP 1,668

2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ₡1,165

$1.10 CLP 1,084

136.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ₡881

$1.52 CLP 1,500

29.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₡311

$1.18 CLP 1,164

-41.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₡898

$1.08 CLP 1,061

85.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₡1,398

$5.07 CLP 4,995

-38.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 ₡6,773

$5.95 CLP 5,858

153.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₡1,284

$1.49 CLP 1,470

91.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ₡1,663

$2.38 CLP 2,342

55.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 ₡582

$0.83 CLP 821

56.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.11 ₡19.3K

$40.14 CLP 39.5K

7.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₡825

$0.40 CLP 393

360.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡693

$0.91 CLP 897

69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,814

$11.63 CLP 11.5K

-26.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡674

$1.51 CLP 1,486

-0.66%

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$17.6K CLP 17.3M

26.70%

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

$35.0K ₡15.7M

$22.0K CLP 21.6M

59.43%

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

$95.5 ₡42.8K

$151 CLP 149.0K

-36.90%

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

$35.40 ₡15.9K

$12.34 CLP 12.1K

186.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.86 ₡14.7K

$18.73 CLP 18.4K

75.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 ₡33.0K

$33.71 CLP 33.2K

118.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.80 CLP 11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 ₡3,458

$7.45 CLP 7,334

3.49%

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

$972 ₡435.8K

$430 CLP 423.7K

125.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$10.8K CLP 10.6M

57.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 ₡29.0K

$49.65 CLP 48.9K

30.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.92 ₡11.6K

$28.94 CLP 28.5K

-10.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 ₡43.5K

$65.7 CLP 64.6K

47.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₡24.4K

$80.7 CLP 79.4K

-32.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 ₡309.3K

$559 CLP 550.4K

23.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ₡295.6K

$384 CLP 377.8K

71.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 ₡888.2K

$1,004 CLP 988.4K

97.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 ₡508.8K

$780 CLP 767.9K

45.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,640 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,546 CLP 2.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$976 ₡437.6K

$804 CLP 791.0K

21.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.39

59.93%

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 Santiago: 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%

Santiago

$384 32.3% 41.8% $275

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$299 18.8%

Santiago

$236 19.8% 21.2% $63

Eating Out

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$218 13.7%

Santiago

$189 15.9% 13.1% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$164 10.3%

Santiago

$182 15.3% 11.4% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$109 6.8%

Santiago

$101 8.5% 7.1% $7.7

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$89 5.6%

Santiago

$49 4.1% 45.3% $40

Getting Around

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

$58 3.6%

Santiago

$48 4.1% 16.3% $9.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $690 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $559 in Santiago. 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 21% 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 $45.00 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon versus $52.0 in Santiago. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon vs $236 in Santiago – so Santiago wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🇨🇱 Santiago

🕒 Local time

13:32 1:32 PM

16:32 4:32 PM

3 h ahead of Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,139,087 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.16 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,107 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.04 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

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Between locations

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon Santiago 5,130 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon
Santiago

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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon, $1,190 in Santiago – roughly 34% 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 $1,785 in Santiago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Santiago. 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 $430 in Santiago. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santiago, where all-in costs run around $1,190, than in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon at $1,596. In Santiago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon 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 $1,190 in Santiago to $1,596 in Puerto Viejo - de Talamanca, Limon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Santiago. 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.