Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Atkinson, WI and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fort Atkinson, WI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

112

Cost of Living Index in Fort Atkinson, WI
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Fort Atkinson, WI Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Fort Atkinson, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,292

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,292 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI vs $1,924 in San Jose, rent included.

Fort Atkinson, WI $2,292
San Jose $1,924

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI vs $2,926 in San Jose, rent included.

Fort Atkinson, WI $3,361
San Jose $2,926

A family of three spends $4,430 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI vs $3,929 in San Jose, rent included.

Fort Atkinson, WI $4,430
San Jose $3,929

Fort Atkinson, WI costs about 19% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Fort Atkinson, WI and San Jose sit above the global median – Fort Atkinson, WI by 69%, San Jose by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 $13.85

$12.29 ₡5,513

12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$62.3 ₡27.9K

21.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$11.53 ₡5,171

5.90%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$4.35 ₡1,953

21.15%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$2.64 ₡1,183

10.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.86 ₡836

26.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.32 ₡1,490

78.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.28 $8.28

$4.52 ₡2,026

83.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$2.39 ₡1,073

-65.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.08 ₡1,381

-30.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.50 ₡1,119

14.40%

Eggs

$3.49 $3.49

$3.48 ₡1,562

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 $7.84

$10.74 ₡4,815

-27.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$10.32 ₡4,629

5.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$14.10 ₡6,325

-25.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$5.03 ₡2,256

14.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.59 ₡714

8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.84 ₡2,171

-28.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$3.96 ₡1,776

21.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.76 ₡1,684

-26.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.73 ₡1,674

-13.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.08 ₡485

84.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.25 ₡1,456

-39.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.14 $12.14

$5.86 ₡2,627

107.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$20.28 ₡9,095

-59.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.90 ₡1,300

-42.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.73 ₡1,673

-12.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.08 ₡486

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.50 ₡1,123

26.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.63 ₡732

9.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.11 $31.11

$8.71 ₡3,904

257.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.58 ₡709

-36.08%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

3.18%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-38.10%

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

$173 $173

$93.7 ₡42.0K

84.59%

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

$49.97 $49.97

$35.42 ₡15.9K

41.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 $50.5

$60.0 ₡26.9K

-15.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.40 $36.40

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-49.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 $8.16

$7.74 ₡3,471

5.43%

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

$1,177 $1,177

$1,005 ₡450.9K

17.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$16.9K ₡7.6M

43.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.69 $19.69

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-73.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-73.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.96 $44.96

$128 ₡57.5K

-64.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 $64.4

$130 ₡58.5K

-50.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 $1,588

$932 ₡418.0K

70.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$760 ₡340.8K

68.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 $2,522

$1,922 ₡862.0K

31.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,145 $2,145

$1,276 ₡572.1K

68.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,512 $2,512

$2,301 ₡1.0M

9.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,233 $2,233

$1,833 ₡821.9K

21.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

8.62

-25.41%

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

Last update for Fort Atkinson, WI: October 17, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Atkinson, WI

$1.3K 56%

San Jose

$760 39.5% 40.8% $524

Groceries & Markets

Fort Atkinson, WI

$319 13.9%

San Jose

$403 21% 26.2% $84

Eating Out

Fort Atkinson, WI

$278 12.1%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 17.7% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Atkinson, WI

$273 11.9%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 30.8% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Atkinson, WI

$65 2.8%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 169% $110

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Atkinson, WI

$53 2.3%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 67% $35

Getting Around

Fort Atkinson, WI

$20 * 0.9%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 307% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,588 in Fort Atkinson, WI 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Fort Atkinson, WI versus $62.0 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $319 in Fort Atkinson, WI vs $403 in San Jose – so Fort Atkinson, WI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Atkinson, WI

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

23:43 11:43 PM

22:43 10:43 PM

1 h behind Fort Atkinson, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,500

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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Between locations

Fort Atkinson, WI San Jose 3,700 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Fort Atkinson, WI
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

Fort Atkinson, WI vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Atkinson, WI costs about 19% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,438 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI 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 $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI and $1,924 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 19%.

Kindergarten costs $1,177 per month in Fort Atkinson, WI and $1,005 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Fort Atkinson, WI at $2,292. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Atkinson, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,924 versus $2,292 in Fort Atkinson, WI. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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