Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,924 in San Jose.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
San Jose $1,924

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,926 in San Jose.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
San Jose $2,926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,929 in San Jose.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
San Jose $3,929

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 13% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 60% above, San Jose 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$12.29 ₡5,513

60.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$62.3 ₡27.9K

29.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$11.53 ₡5,171

5.98%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$4.35 ₡1,953

41.61%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.64 ₡1,183

10.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.86 ₡836

37.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.32 ₡1,490

50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.52 ₡2,026

30.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.39 ₡1,073

-61.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.08 ₡1,381

-1.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.50 ₡1,119

35.20%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$3.48 ₡1,562

14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$10.74 ₡4,815

-9.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$10.32 ₡4,629

-3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$14.10 ₡6,325

-2.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.03 ₡2,256

-13.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.59 ₡714

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.84 ₡2,171

-6.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.96 ₡1,776

-7.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.76 ₡1,684

-18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.73 ₡1,674

-42.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.08 ₡485

120.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.25 ₡1,456

-32.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.86 ₡2,627

33.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$20.28 ₡9,095

-27.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.90 ₡1,300

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.73 ₡1,673

-17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.08 ₡486

60.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$65.5 ₡29.4K

-11.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.50 ₡1,123

-21.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.63 ₡732

-24.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$8.71 ₡3,904

126.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.58 ₡709

-41.14%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

-19.12%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-39.65%

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

$185 $185

$93.7 ₡42.0K

97.12%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$35.42 ₡15.9K

51.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$60.0 ₡26.9K

17.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$25.83 ₡11.6K

-22.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$7.74 ₡3,471

29.07%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$1,005 ₡450.9K

18.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$16.9K ₡7.6M

-29.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-22.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$128 ₡57.5K

-21.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$130 ₡58.5K

11.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$932 ₡418.0K

26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$760 ₡340.8K

14.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$1,922 ₡862.0K

-9.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$1,276 ₡572.1K

9.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$2,301 ₡1.0M

0.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$1,833 ₡821.9K

26.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$1,029 ₡461.3K

254.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

8.62

-23.90%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

San Jose

$760 39.5% 12.9% $113

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

San Jose

$403 21% 15.4% $54

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 30% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 38.7% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 11.1% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 5.2% $4.3

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 10% $7.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $932 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 255% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $62.0 in San Jose. Groceries flip the comparison at $349 vs $403, with Des Moines, IA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

09:47 9:47 AM

08:47 8:47 AM

1 h behind Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Des Moines, IA San Jose 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
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

Des Moines, IA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Jose the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 255% higher in Des Moines, IA, 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: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $932 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,924 in San Jose – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,924 in San Jose versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Jose delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,924 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Jose hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA 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 San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.