Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombia and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Colombia: $1,315 a month against $1,949 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Colombia
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Colombia Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

Jump to prices

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,315

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Colombia is 31.7% cheaper than San Jose without rent, and 32.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Colombia is 30.8% cheaper than San Jose without rent, and 27.4% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 COP 24.2K

$12.22 ₡5,510

-37.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.19 COP 144.0K

$60.1 ₡27.1K

-24.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.60 COP 30.6K

$11.77 ₡5,305

-18.44%

Cappuccino

$2.64 COP 8,406

$4.30 ₡1,939

-38.60%

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

$1.36 COP 4,321

$2.72 ₡1,226

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 2,997

$1.84 ₡830

-48.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 COP 7,745

$3.28 ₡1,480

-25.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$4.36 ₡1,966

-6.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 COP 4,849

$2.38 ₡1,074

-36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 COP 6,868

$3.12 ₡1,408

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,030

$2.41 ₡1,086

-34.44%

Eggs

$2.94 COP 9,353

$3.47 ₡1,564

-15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 COP 23.6K

$10.57 ₡4,767

-29.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.67 COP 27.6K

$10.56 ₡4,758

-17.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 COP 34.8K

$13.75 ₡6,196

-20.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 COP 11.8K

$5.04 ₡2,274

-26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,678

$1.61 ₡727

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 COP 5,804

$4.59 ₡2,069

-60.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 COP 6,007

$3.84 ₡1,731

-51.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,776

$3.77 ₡1,700

-60.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,594

$3.76 ₡1,693

-61.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,769

$1.12 ₡506

5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,642

$3.20 ₡1,441

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 COP 12.8K

$5.84 ₡2,632

-31.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 COP 40.1K

$19.73 ₡8,897

-36.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,619

$2.75 ₡1,240

-47.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 8,155

$3.66 ₡1,650

-30.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 COP 3,441

$1.12 ₡503

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.1 COP 194.8K

$65.1 ₡29.4K

-6.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 COP 6,662

$2.46 ₡1,110

-15.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 COP 6,511

$1.54 ₡692

32.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 COP 25.3K

$8.46 ₡3,815

-6.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,176

$1.55 ₡699

-15.48%

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

$25.9K COP 82.7M

$21.7K ₡9.8M

19.54%

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

$33.5K COP 106.7M

$34.9K ₡15.7M

-4.01%

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

$129 COP 409.7K

$94.7 ₡42.7K

35.78%

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

$13.09 COP 41.7K

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-62.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.31 COP 90.2K

$58.6 ₡26.4K

-51.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 COP 107.7K

$72.2 ₡32.5K

-53.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 COP 53.1K

$25.19 ₡11.4K

-33.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 COP 19.0K

$7.83 ₡3,532

-24.01%

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

$643 COP 2.1M

$971 ₡437.9K

-33.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,075 COP 25.7M

$17.0K ₡7.7M

-52.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 COP 238.7K

$71.6 ₡32.3K

4.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 COP 170.5K

$54.9 ₡24.7K

-2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 COP 425.1K

$129 ₡58.2K

3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 328.0K

$133 ₡60.0K

-22.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 COP 2.2M

$934 ₡420.9K

-26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 COP 1.4M

$770 ₡347.2K

-44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 COP 4.0M

$1,945 ₡876.7K

-35.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 COP 2.6M

$1,316 ₡593.5K

-38.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,366 COP 7.5M

$2,277 ₡1.0M

3.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,507 COP 4.8M

$1,795 ₡809.1K

-16.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 COP 1.9M

$1,006 ₡453.5K

-40.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.51

8.62

45.13%

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

Last update for Colombia: October 4, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colombia

$430 33.1%

San Jose

$770 39.9% 79.1% $340

Groceries & Markets

Colombia

$261 20.1%

San Jose

$399 20.7% 53.1% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colombia

$170 13.1%

San Jose

$188 9.8% 10.8% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Colombia

$164 12.6%

San Jose

$175 9.1% 6.5% $11

Eating Out

Colombia

$151 11.6%

San Jose

$228 11.8% 51.3% $77

Getting Around

Colombia

$78 6%

San Jose

$80 4.1% 2.5% $2

Sport & Entertainment

Colombia

$46 3.5%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 92.2% $42

Good to know

🇨🇴 Colombia

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

07:13 7:13 AM

06:13 6:13 AM

1 h behind Colombia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,321,152

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Colombia San Jose 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Colombia
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

Colombia vs other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombia and San Jose

CRC, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Colombia

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Colombia

San Jose

Colombia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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