import re
pattern = r"(\"[^\"]* cost\":\s*)\"(\d{1,3}(?:\.\d{1,2})?)\""
s = ("\"apple cost\": \"2.78\" \n"
"\"orange cost\": \"12.59\"\n"
"\"melone cost\": \"42.12\"")
print(re.sub(pattern, r"\1\2", s))
aW1wb3J0IHJlCgpwYXR0ZXJuID0gciIoXCJbXlwiXSogY29zdFwiOlxzKilcIihcZHsxLDN9KD86XC5cZHsxLDJ9KT8pXCIiCgpzID0gKCJcImFwcGxlIGNvc3RcIjogXCIyLjc4XCIgXG4iCgkiXCJvcmFuZ2UgY29zdFwiOiBcIjEyLjU5XCJcbiIKCSJcIm1lbG9uZSBjb3N0XCI6IFwiNDIuMTJcIiIpCgpwcmludChyZS5zdWIocGF0dGVybiwgciJcMVwyIiwgcykpCg==