Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence, KY and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,276 in Florence, KY, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Florence, KY outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

108

Cost of Living Index in Florence, KY
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Florence, KY Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Florence, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,276

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,276 in Florence, KY versus $2,107 in San Jose.

Florence, KY $2,276
San Jose $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,338 in Florence, KY versus $3,081 in San Jose.

Florence, KY $3,338
San Jose $3,081

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,399 in Florence, KY versus $4,054 in San Jose.

Florence, KY $4,399
San Jose $4,054

Living in Florence, KY is roughly 8% 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: Florence, KY 68% above, San Jose 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.73 $14.73

$12.37 ₡5,563

19.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$62.4 ₡28.0K

18.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 $9.26

$11.71 ₡5,264

-20.92%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$4.54 ₡2,040

8.59%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$2.75 ₡1,238

-20.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.86 ₡837

-11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.35 ₡1,505

79.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.32 ₡1,944

59.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.36 ₡1,061

-63.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.07 ₡1,379

7.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.51 ₡1,128

64.54%

Eggs

$3.54 $3.54

$3.53 ₡1,585

0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 $12.59

$10.54 ₡4,738

19.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.96 $11.96

$10.57 ₡4,754

13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$13.92 ₡6,261

16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$5.20 ₡2,338

8.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.65 ₡740

1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$4.89 ₡2,198

-4.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.84 ₡1,728

21.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.91 ₡1,757

-33.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.76 ₡1,692

-20.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.12 ₡504

81.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.22 ₡1,447

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$6.02 ₡2,706

51.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.88 $15.88

$19.84 ₡8,919

-19.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.81 ₡1,264

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.65 ₡1,643

-19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.08 ₡487

82.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 $63.9

$65.2 ₡29.3K

-2.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.26 ₡1,018

20.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.78 ₡799

-29.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.09 $18.09

$7.90 ₡3,551

128.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.50 ₡673

-34.67%

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

$34.1K $34.1K

$33.5K ₡15.1M

1.98%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$42.3K ₡19.0M

-39.36%

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

$182 $182

$93.2 ₡41.9K

95.54%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$36.13 ₡16.2K

61.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$60.6 ₡27.2K

13.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.57 $17.57

$68.9 ₡31.0K

-74.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 $15.23

$7.67 ₡3,449

98.57%

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

$1,255 $1,255

$972 ₡436.9K

29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$18.9K ₡8.5M

26.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$70.6 ₡31.8K

-29.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.94 $43.94

$56.7 ₡25.5K

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$129 ₡57.8K

-30.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$131 ₡58.8K

-18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 $1,351

$1,170 ₡525.9K

15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 $1,054

$943 ₡424.1K

11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 $2,009

$1,984 ₡892.0K

1.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 $1,689

$1,400 ₡629.5K

20.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,681 ₡1.2M

-28.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,260 $1,260

$2,037 ₡915.8K

-38.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,484 $3,484

$987 ₡443.6K

253.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

8.62

-22.51%

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

Last update for Florence, KY: 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

Florence, KY

$1.1K 46.3%

San Jose

$943 44.8% 10.5% $110

Groceries & Markets

Florence, KY

$391 17.2%

San Jose

$403 19.1% 3% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Florence, KY

$309 13.6%

San Jose

$190 9% 38.6% $119

Eating Out

Florence, KY

$264 11.6%

San Jose

$232 11% 12% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Florence, KY

$130 5.7%

San Jose

$174 8.3% 33.6% $44

Getting Around

Florence, KY

$81 3.6%

San Jose

$81 3.8% 0.1% $0.1

Sport & Entertainment

Florence, KY

$48 2.1%

San Jose

$84 4% 75.5% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,351 in Florence, KY and $1,170 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Florence, KY pays about 3.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $74 in Florence, KY vs $62 in San Jose. Groceries flip the comparison at $391 vs $403, with Florence, KY cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Florence, KY

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

07:28 7:28 AM

06:28 6:28 AM

1 h behind Florence, KY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,184

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 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 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Florence, KY San Jose 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Florence, KY
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

Florence, KY vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose is about 7% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Florence, KY is about 3.5 times higher, 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: $1,351 in Florence, KY versus $1,170 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Florence, KY pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you’ll spend $2,276 per month in Florence, KY versus $2,107 in San Jose – San Jose is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – San Jose wins on affordability, Florence, KY on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.