Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Duluth, MN and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,233 in Duluth, MN, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Duluth, MN outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

108

Cost of Living Index in Duluth, MN
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Duluth, MN Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Duluth, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,233

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,233 per month in Duluth, MN vs $1,924 in San Jose, rent included.

Duluth, MN $2,233
San Jose $1,924

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Duluth, MN vs $2,926 in San Jose, rent included.

Duluth, MN $3,579
San Jose $2,926

A family of three spends $4,925 per month in Duluth, MN vs $3,929 in San Jose, rent included.

Duluth, MN $4,925
San Jose $3,929

Duluth, MN costs about 16% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Duluth, MN and San Jose sit above the global median – Duluth, MN by 65%, San Jose by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.77 $19.77

$12.29 ₡5,513

60.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 $66.8

$62.3 ₡27.9K

7.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$11.53 ₡5,171

-12.66%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$4.35 ₡1,953

22.99%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$2.64 ₡1,183

-5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.86 ₡836

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 $6.45

$3.32 ₡1,490

94.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.52 ₡2,026

73.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.39 ₡1,073

-65.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.08 ₡1,381

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.50 ₡1,119

55.20%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$3.48 ₡1,562

6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 $10.12

$10.74 ₡4,815

-5.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 $10.51

$10.32 ₡4,629

1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 $18.84

$14.10 ₡6,325

33.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$5.03 ₡2,256

3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.59 ₡714

-6.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.84 ₡2,171

-45.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.96 ₡1,776

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$3.76 ₡1,684

-70.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.73 ₡1,674

-41.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.08 ₡485

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$3.25 ₡1,456

-55.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.06 $13.06

$5.86 ₡2,627

122.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.92 $15.92

$20.28 ₡9,095

-21.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.90 ₡1,300

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.73 ₡1,673

-25.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.08 ₡486

71.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 $39.24

$65.5 ₡29.4K

-40.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.50 ₡1,123

95.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.63 ₡732

-6.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.73 $23.73

$8.71 ₡3,904

172.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.58 ₡709

-39.24%

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

$22.1K $22.1K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

-34.21%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-43.56%

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

$177 $177

$93.7 ₡42.0K

88.79%

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

$44.52 $44.52

$35.42 ₡15.9K

25.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 $68.0

$60.0 ₡26.9K

13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 $63.2

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 $25.71

$25.83 ₡11.6K

-0.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 $11.23

$7.74 ₡3,471

45.09%

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

$1,029 $1,029

$1,005 ₡450.9K

2.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$16.9K ₡7.6M

-39.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 $43.48

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-21.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$128 ₡57.5K

-21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 $85.4

$130 ₡58.5K

-34.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$932 ₡418.0K

38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 $1,001

$760 ₡340.8K

31.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,334 $2,334

$1,922 ₡862.0K

21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$1,276 ₡572.1K

72.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,195 $2,195

$2,301 ₡1.0M

-4.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,215 $2,215

$1,833 ₡821.9K

20.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,783 $3,783

$1,029 ₡461.3K

267.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

8.62

-28.19%

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

Last update for Duluth, MN: October 18, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Duluth, MN

$1K 44.8%

San Jose

$760 39.5% 24.1% $241

Groceries & Markets

Duluth, MN

$351 15.7%

San Jose

$403 21% 15% $53

Eating Out

Duluth, MN

$318 14.2%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 28% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Duluth, MN

$289 13%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 34.6% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Duluth, MN

$129 5.8%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 34.9% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Duluth, MN

$86 3.8%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 2.8% $2.4

Getting Around

Duluth, MN

$59 2.7%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 36.2% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,287 in Duluth, MN versus $932 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.

Salaries run about 268% higher in Duluth, MN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Duluth, MN versus $62.0 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $351 in Duluth, MN vs $403 in San Jose – so Duluth, MN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Duluth, MN

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

13:19 1:19 PM

12:19 12:19 PM

1 h behind Duluth, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,265

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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 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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Between locations

Duluth, MN San Jose 4,170 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Duluth, MN
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

Duluth, MN vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Duluth, MN is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,349 per month in Duluth, MN and $2,886 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,233 in Duluth, MN and $1,924 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 16%.

Public transport costs about 67% less in San Jose. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Duluth, MN at $2,233. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Duluth, MN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Duluth, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.