Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin, OH and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,532 in Dublin, OH, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Dublin, OH outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Dublin, OH, United States
San Jose, Costa Rica
Dublin, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,532
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,532 per month in Dublin, OH vs $2,107 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Dublin, OH $2,532
  • San Jose $2,107

A couple spends around $3,693 per month in Dublin, OH vs $3,081 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Dublin, OH $3,693
  • San Jose $3,081

A family of three spends $4,854 per month in Dublin, OH vs $4,054 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Dublin, OH $4,854
  • San Jose $4,054

Dublin, OH costs about 20% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dublin, OH and San Jose sit above the global median – Dublin, OH by 87%, San Jose by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.26 $20.26
$12.37 ₡5,563
63.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.8 $74.8
$62.4 ₡28.0K
19.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.23 $12.23
$11.71 ₡5,264
4.44%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$4.54 ₡2,040
20.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$2.75 ₡1,238
-6.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.86 ₡837
8.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.02 $5.02
$3.35 ₡1,505
49.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.82 $5.82
$4.32 ₡1,944
34.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.96 $0.96
$2.36 ₡1,061
-59.32%
White Bread (500g)
$3.31 $3.31
$3.07 ₡1,379
7.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.98 $3.98
$2.51 ₡1,128
58.57%
Eggs
$3.14 $3.14
$3.53 ₡1,585
-11.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.16 $11.16
$10.54 ₡4,738
5.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.68 $9.68
$10.57 ₡4,754
-8.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.21 $16.21
$13.92 ₡6,261
16.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 $3.24
$5.20 ₡2,338
-37.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.65 ₡740
-11.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$4.89 ₡2,198
-10.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.70 $3.70
$3.84 ₡1,728
-3.65%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$3.91 ₡1,757
-31.20%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 $2.03
$3.76 ₡1,692
-46.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.12 ₡504
91.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$3.22 ₡1,447
-29.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.01 $10.01
$6.02 ₡2,706
66.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.63 $13.63
$19.84 ₡8,919
-31.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.81 ₡1,264
-28.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 $3.10
$3.65 ₡1,643
-15.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.08 ₡487
80.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.5 $64.5
$65.2 ₡29.3K
-1.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.44 $2.44
$2.26 ₡1,018
7.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 $1.38
$1.78 ₡799
-22.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.63 $29.63
$7.90 ₡3,551
275.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.50 ₡673
-31.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9K $31.9K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-4.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-39.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 $177
$93.2 ₡41.9K
90.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.4 $60.4
$36.13 ₡16.2K
67.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.5 $64.5
$60.6 ₡27.2K
6.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.27 $40.27
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-41.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.94 ₡11.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.05 $12.05
$7.67 ₡3,449
57.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,582 $1,582
$972 ₡436.9K
62.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.4K $20.4K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
8.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.38 $46.38
$70.6 ₡31.8K
-34.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.97 $39.97
$56.7 ₡25.5K
-29.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.6 $73.6
$129 ₡57.8K
-42.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.8 $79.8
$131 ₡58.8K
-39.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,552 $1,552
$1,170 ₡525.9K
32.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,302 $1,302
$943 ₡424.1K
38.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,582 $2,582
$1,984 ₡892.0K
30.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,131 $2,131
$1,400 ₡629.5K
52.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,609 $2,609
$2,681 ₡1.2M
-2.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,098 $2,098
$2,037 ₡915.8K
3.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dublin, OH
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$987 ₡443.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
8.62
-24.48%

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

Last update for Dublin, 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
Dublin, OH
$1.3K
San Jose
$943 27.6% $359
Groceries & Markets
Dublin, OH
$354
San Jose
$403 13.7% $49
Eating Out
Dublin, OH
$319
San Jose
$232 27.2% $87
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dublin, OH
$302
San Jose
$190 37.2% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Dublin, OH
$108
San Jose
$174 61.3% $66
Getting Around
Dublin, OH
$82
San Jose
$81 1.2% $1
Sport & Entertainment
Dublin, OH
$64
San Jose
$84 30.9% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,552 in Dublin, OH versus $1,170 in San Jose. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Dublin, OH versus $62 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Dublin, OH vs $403 in San Jose – so Dublin, OH wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Dublin, OH
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
08:20 8:20 AM
07:20 7:20 AM
1 h behind Dublin, OH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
49,328
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 = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dublin, OH San Jose 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dublin, 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
Dublin, OH vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Jose cheaper than Dublin, OH?
Yes – Dublin, OH is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,797 per month in Dublin, OH and $3,161 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,170 there versus $1,552 in Dublin, OH.
Is eating out cheaper in Dublin, OH or in San Jose?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Dublin, OH and $62 in San Jose. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Dublin, OH and in San Jose?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Dublin, OH – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Dublin, OH or in San Jose?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Dublin, OH at $2,532. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dublin, OH it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Dublin, OH or San Jose more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Jose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Dublin, OH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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