Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashland, OH and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,369 in Ashland, OH, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ashland, OH outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ashland, OH, United States
San Jose, Costa Rica
Ashland, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,369
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ashland, OH 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 Ashland, OH and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,369 in Ashland, OH versus $2,107 in San Jose.

  • Ashland, OH $2,369
  • San Jose $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,272 in Ashland, OH versus $3,081 in San Jose.

  • Ashland, OH $3,272
  • San Jose $3,081

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,174 in Ashland, OH versus $4,054 in San Jose.

  • Ashland, OH $4,174
  • San Jose $4,054

Living in Ashland, OH is roughly 12% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashland, OH 75% above, San Jose 56% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.92 $8.92
$12.37 ₡5,563
-27.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.89 $34.89
$62.4 ₡28.0K
-44.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 $8.55
$11.71 ₡5,264
-26.99%
Cappuccino
$3.57 $3.57
$4.54 ₡2,040
-21.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$2.75 ₡1,238
-23.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.86 ₡837
-37.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.83 $2.83
$3.35 ₡1,505
-15.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.87 $7.87
$4.32 ₡1,944
82.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 $0.76
$2.36 ₡1,061
-67.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.77 $1.77
$3.07 ₡1,379
-42.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.51 ₡1,128
38.65%
Eggs
$3.83 $3.83
$3.53 ₡1,585
8.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 $10.19
$10.54 ₡4,738
-3.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.03 $9.03
$10.57 ₡4,754
-14.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.51 $14.51
$13.92 ₡6,261
4.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.48 $3.48
$5.20 ₡2,338
-33.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 $1.22
$1.65 ₡740
-26.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.24 $3.24
$4.89 ₡2,198
-33.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.28 $4.28
$3.84 ₡1,728
11.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 $1.93
$3.91 ₡1,757
-50.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.83 $2.83
$3.76 ₡1,692
-24.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.12 ₡504
83.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$3.22 ₡1,447
-38.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.20 $10.20
$6.02 ₡2,706
69.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.71 $9.71
$19.84 ₡8,919
-51.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
$2.81 ₡1,264
-22.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 $2.59
$3.65 ₡1,643
-29.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.95 $4.95
$1.08 ₡487
358.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$204 $204
$65.2 ₡29.3K
212.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 $3.02
$2.26 ₡1,018
33.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 $0.90
$1.78 ₡799
-49.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.91 $17.91
$7.90 ₡3,551
126.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.50 ₡673
-32.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K $29.4K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-12.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-40.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$200 $200
$93.2 ₡41.9K
114.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.49 $33.49
$36.13 ₡16.2K
-7.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.5 $60.5
$60.6 ₡27.2K
-0.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.07 $47.07
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-31.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.94 ₡11.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.20 $8.20
$7.67 ₡3,449
6.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$904 $904
$972 ₡436.9K
-6.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.9K $19.9K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
5.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.0 $55.0
$70.6 ₡31.8K
-22.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.37 $44.37
$56.7 ₡25.5K
-21.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 $101
$129 ₡57.8K
-21.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$131 ₡58.8K
-19.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$896 $896
$1,170 ₡525.9K
-23.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 $1,148
$943 ₡424.1K
21.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 $1,328
$1,984 ₡892.0K
-33.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,688 $1,688
$1,400 ₡629.5K
20.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,836 $1,836
$2,681 ₡1.2M
-31.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,044 $2,044
$2,037 ₡915.8K
0.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ashland, OH
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,615 $3,615
$987 ₡443.6K
266.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.6
8.62
-23.43%

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

Last update for Ashland, OH: November 2, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ashland, OH
$1.1K
San Jose
$943 17.9% $205
Groceries & Markets
Ashland, OH
$312
San Jose
$403 29.1% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ashland, OH
$294
San Jose
$190 35.4% $104
Getting Around
Ashland, OH
$231
San Jose
$81 65.1% $150
Eating Out
Ashland, OH
$183
San Jose
$232 27.1% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Ashland, OH
$138
San Jose
$174 26.5% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Ashland, OH
$63
San Jose
$84 32.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $896 in Ashland, OH and $1,170 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashland, OH pays about 3.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $35 in Ashland, OH vs $62 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $403 per month, with Ashland, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Ashland, OH
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
14:56 2:56 PM
13:56 1:56 PM
1 h behind Ashland, OH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,684
342,188 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ashland, OH San Jose 3,440 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ashland, OH
  • 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
Ashland, OH vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ashland, OH or San Jose?
San Jose wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Ashland, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making San Jose the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ashland, OH or in San Jose?
Average pay in Ashland, OH is about 3.7 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ashland, OH compared to San Jose?
Rent for a central apartment: $896 in Ashland, OH versus $1,170 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Ashland, OH and in San Jose?
Dining out is cheaper in Ashland, OH – a meal for two runs $35 versus $62 in San Jose. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Ashland, OH compared to San Jose?
All in, you’ll spend $2,369 per month in Ashland, OH versus $2,107 in San Jose – San Jose is about 11% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Ashland, OH or San Jose?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Ashland, OH or to San Jose?
It comes down to priorities – San Jose wins on affordability, Ashland, OH on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Ashland, OH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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