Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and San Jose Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartago and San Jose

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,512 in Cartago versus $1,571 in San Jose.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,121 in Cartago versus $2,481 in San Jose.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Cartago versus $3,392 in San Jose.

Living in Cartago costs roughly 4% less than in San Jose, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cartago 13% above, San Jose 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.95 ₡3,615

$10.80 ₡4,912

-26.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 ₡14.3K

$59.5 ₡27.1K

-47.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 ₡4,172

$10.15 ₡4,616

-9.66%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₡1,738

$3.88 ₡1,764

-1.55%

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

$1.93 ₡880

$1.98 ₡901

-2.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₡558

$1.66 ₡754

-25.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 ₡913

$3.02 ₡1,374

-33.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₡2,159

$4.75 ₡2,161

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₡894

$1.99 ₡903

-1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ₡996

$2.89 ₡1,315

-24.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡976

$2.21 ₡1,006

-2.71%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,325

$2.93 ₡1,331

-0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 ₡3,566

$9.72 ₡4,419

-19.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.30 ₡4,228

$9.05 ₡4,115

2.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 ₡6,199

$13.49 ₡6,136

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 ₡2,014

$4.40 ₡2,003

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ₡534

$1.49 ₡679

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 ₡1,832

$4.29 ₡1,950

-6.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ₡1,201

$3.45 ₡1,571

-23.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ₡890

$3.55 ₡1,615

-44.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₡899

$3.09 ₡1,404

-35.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡471

$0.97 ₡441

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡884

$2.82 ₡1,282

-31.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 ₡2,326

$5.40 ₡2,457

-5.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 ₡6,960

$22.19 ₡10.1K

-31.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₡1,112

$2.53 ₡1,151

-3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₡820

$2.79 ₡1,267

-35.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ₡461

$1.02 ₡465

-0.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 ₡31.4K

$41.73 ₡19.0K

65.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₡622

$1.82 ₡827

-24.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡848

$1.77 ₡806

5.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 ₡3,599

$7.93 ₡3,608

-0.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡643

$1.45 ₡658

-2.76%

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

$37.4K ₡17.0M

$37.7K ₡17.2M

-0.82%

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

$32.3K ₡14.7M

$32.4K ₡14.7M

-0.10%

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

$49.02 ₡22.3K

$92.1 ₡41.9K

-46.75%

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

$25.60 ₡11.6K

$26.20 ₡11.9K

-2.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ₡26.3K

$60.1 ₡27.3K

-3.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 ₡26.0K

$56.7 ₡25.8K

1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.06 ₡10.9K

$37.58 ₡17.1K

-35.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ₡2,944

$9.98 ₡4,541

-35.17%

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

$491 ₡223.1K

$560 ₡254.8K

-12.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,189 ₡3.3M

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-43.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ₡28.0K

$63.7 ₡29.0K

-3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 ₡23.5K

$52.1 ₡23.7K

-0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ₡49.4K

$125 ₡57.0K

-13.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 ₡36.6K

$107 ₡48.7K

-24.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡345.6K

$879 ₡399.8K

-13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ₡273.6K

$541 ₡246.1K

11.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₡333.9K

$1,418 ₡644.7K

-48.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡350.1K

$1,017 ₡462.7K

-24.34%

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)

$1,312 ₡596.8K

$1,042 ₡474.0K

25.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

-1.67%

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

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Jose: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Cartago and $879 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Cartago vs $60.0 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $315 vs $367 per month, with Cartago cheaper across the board.

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

Cartago vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cartago pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $760 in Cartago versus $879 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 65% less than in San Jose. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Cartago versus $560 in San Jose. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,512 in Cartago versus $1,571 in San Jose, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in San Jose. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cartago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Jose, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cartago and San Jose are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in San Jose. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.