Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Frankfort, KY and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Frankfort, KY: $1,908 a month against $2,107 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. The total is higher in San Jose despite lower rent and utilities.

Frankfort, KY, United States
San Jose, Costa Rica
Frankfort, KY
🇺🇸 United States
$1,908
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,908 per month in Frankfort, KY vs $2,107 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Frankfort, KY $1,908
  • San Jose $2,107

A couple spends around $2,652 per month in Frankfort, KY vs $3,081 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Frankfort, KY $2,652
  • San Jose $3,081

A family of three spends $3,396 per month in Frankfort, KY vs $4,054 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Frankfort, KY $3,396
  • San Jose $4,054

Frankfort, KY is about 9% cheaper than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Frankfort, KY and San Jose sit above the global median – Frankfort, KY by 41%, San Jose by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 $13.94
$12.37 ₡5,563
12.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.2 $50.2
$62.4 ₡28.0K
-19.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.12 $8.12
$11.71 ₡5,264
-30.66%
Cappuccino
$4.20 $4.20
$4.54 ₡2,040
-7.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 $1.26
$2.75 ₡1,238
-54.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.86 ₡837
-32.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.84 $9.84
$3.35 ₡1,505
193.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$11.98 $11.98
$4.32 ₡1,944
177.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.78 $0.78
$2.36 ₡1,061
-66.95%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 $2.72
$3.07 ₡1,379
-11.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.45 $2.45
$2.51 ₡1,128
-2.39%
Eggs
$2.90 $2.90
$3.53 ₡1,585
-17.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.38 $8.38
$10.54 ₡4,738
-20.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.84 $6.84
$10.57 ₡4,754
-35.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.40 $13.40
$13.92 ₡6,261
-3.74%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 $1.84
$5.20 ₡2,338
-64.62%
Banana (1kg)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.65 ₡740
-41.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.60 $2.60
$4.89 ₡2,198
-46.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$3.84 ₡1,728
-29.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.62 $1.62
$3.91 ₡1,757
-58.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 $1.79
$3.76 ₡1,692
-52.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.12 ₡504
30.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$3.22 ₡1,447
-39.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.51 $8.51
$6.02 ₡2,706
41.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.20 $13.20
$19.84 ₡8,919
-33.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$2.81 ₡1,264
-39.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 $3.40
$3.65 ₡1,643
-6.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.08 ₡487
81.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.2 $54.2
$65.2 ₡29.3K
-16.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.03 $5.03
$2.26 ₡1,018
122.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 $1.89
$1.78 ₡799
6.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.51 $29.51
$7.90 ₡3,551
273.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.50 ₡673
-36.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K $22.1K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-34.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K $25.1K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-40.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 $202
$93.2 ₡41.9K
116.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.76 $49.76
$36.13 ₡16.2K
37.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.6 $57.6
$60.6 ₡27.2K
-4.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.56 $35.56
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-48.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.94 ₡11.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.80 $11.80
$7.67 ₡3,449
53.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$527 $527
$972 ₡436.9K
-45.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K $11.1K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
-41.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.15 $13.15
$70.6 ₡31.8K
-81.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.26 $15.26
$56.7 ₡25.5K
-73.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.1 $71.1
$129 ₡57.8K
-44.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.44 $44.44
$131 ₡58.8K
-66.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$815 $815
$1,170 ₡525.9K
-30.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$854 $854
$943 ₡424.1K
-9.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,447 $1,447
$1,984 ₡892.0K
-27.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,216 $1,216
$1,400 ₡629.5K
-13.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,859 $2,859
$2,681 ₡1.2M
6.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,314 $2,314
$2,037 ₡915.8K
13.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Frankfort, KY
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,710 $2,710
$987 ₡443.6K
174.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.74
8.62
-21.81%

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

Last update for Frankfort, KY: November 3, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Frankfort, KY
$854
San Jose
$943 10.4% $89
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frankfort, KY
$309
San Jose
$190 38.5% $119
Groceries & Markets
Frankfort, KY
$274
San Jose
$403 46.7% $128
Eating Out
Frankfort, KY
$270
San Jose
$232 13.8% $37
Getting Around
Frankfort, KY
$76
San Jose
$81 5.5% $4.2
Clothing & Footwear
Frankfort, KY
$65
San Jose
$174 169% $109
Sport & Entertainment
Frankfort, KY
$59
San Jose
$84 42.5% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Frankfort, KY 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.

Salaries in Frankfort, KY are about 2.7 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Frankfort, KY versus $62 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $403 – making Frankfort, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Frankfort, KY
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
14:40 2:40 PM
13:40 1:40 PM
1 h behind Frankfort, KY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,527
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 = 0.895 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Frankfort, KY San Jose 3,140 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Frankfort, 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
Frankfort, KY vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Frankfort, KY cheaper than San Jose?
Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,862 per month in Frankfort, KY 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 Frankfort, KY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $815 there versus $1,170 in San Jose.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 17% less in Frankfort, KY. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $527 per month in Frankfort, KY and $972 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 enough for either Frankfort, KY or San Jose?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,908 in Frankfort, KY and $2,107 in San Jose, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Frankfort, KY or San Jose more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Frankfort, KY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Frankfort, KY is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 9% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Frankfort, KY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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