Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Guayaquil: $1,140 a month against $1,949 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
Learn more

Guayaquil Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

Jump to prices

Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,140

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,140 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,949 in San Jose, rent included.

Guayaquil $1,140
San Jose $1,949

A couple spends around $1,766 per month in Guayaquil vs $2,903 in San Jose, rent included.

Guayaquil $1,766
San Jose $2,903

A family of three spends $2,392 per month in Guayaquil vs $3,857 in San Jose, rent included.

Guayaquil $2,392
San Jose $3,857

Guayaquil is about 42% cheaper than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Guayaquil sits 15% below the global median, while San Jose is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 $3.90

$12.22 ₡5,510

-68.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 $52.0

$60.1 ₡27.1K

-13.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 $9.25

$11.77 ₡5,305

-21.41%

Cappuccino

$2.80 $2.80

$4.30 ₡1,939

-34.88%

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

$0.87 $0.87

$2.72 ₡1,226

-68.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.84 ₡830

-61.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.28 ₡1,480

-6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.36 ₡1,966

-3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$2.38 ₡1,074

-51.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.12 ₡1,408

-36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.41 ₡1,086

-40.66%

Eggs

$2.04 $2.04

$3.47 ₡1,564

-41.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$10.57 ₡4,767

-32.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$10.56 ₡4,758

-51.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 $8.98

$13.75 ₡6,196

-34.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$5.04 ₡2,274

-71.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.61 ₡727

-26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$4.59 ₡2,069

-78.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 $0.96

$3.84 ₡1,731

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$3.77 ₡1,700

-67.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$3.76 ₡1,693

-75.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.12 ₡506

-25.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$3.20 ₡1,441

-67.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 $5.86

$5.84 ₡2,632

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.93 $11.93

$19.73 ₡8,897

-39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.75 ₡1,240

-45.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.66 ₡1,650

-39.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$1.12 ₡503

-70.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.95 $19.95

$65.1 ₡29.4K

-69.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.46 ₡1,110

9.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.54 ₡692

12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.08 $12.08

$8.46 ₡3,815

42.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.55 ₡699

-42.58%

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

$20.9K $20.9K

$21.7K ₡9.8M

-3.81%

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

$30.9K $30.9K

$34.9K ₡15.7M

-11.26%

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

$127 $127

$94.7 ₡42.7K

34.10%

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

$15.01 $15.01

$35.11 ₡15.8K

-57.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.75 $25.75

$58.6 ₡26.4K

-56.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.73 $46.73

$72.2 ₡32.5K

-35.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.66 $26.66

$25.19 ₡11.4K

5.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 $7.57

$7.83 ₡3,532

-3.32%

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

$403 $403

$971 ₡437.9K

-58.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,002 $6,002

$17.0K ₡7.7M

-64.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$71.6 ₡32.3K

-9.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.19 $40.19

$54.9 ₡24.7K

-26.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 $125

$129 ₡58.2K

-3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 $93.6

$133 ₡60.0K

-29.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 $477

$934 ₡420.9K

-48.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 $390

$770 ₡347.2K

-49.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 $795

$1,945 ₡876.7K

-59.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 $739

$1,316 ₡593.5K

-43.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,298 $2,298

$2,277 ₡1.0M

0.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 $1,445

$1,795 ₡809.1K

-19.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 $626

$1,006 ₡453.5K

-37.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

8.62

16.59%

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

Last update for Guayaquil: October 4, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Guayaquil

$390 34.8%

San Jose

$770 39.9% 97.4% $380

Groceries & Markets

Guayaquil

$199 17.8%

San Jose

$399 20.7% 100% $200

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Guayaquil

$168 15%

San Jose

$188 9.8% 12.3% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Guayaquil

$146 13%

San Jose

$175 9.1% 20.2% $29

Eating Out

Guayaquil

$123 11%

San Jose

$228 11.8% 86% $105

Sport & Entertainment

Guayaquil

$62 5.5%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 41.9% $26

Getting Around

Guayaquil

$33 2.9%

San Jose

$80 4.1% 144% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Guayaquil versus $934 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 61% higher in San Jose, 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 $52.0 in Guayaquil versus $60.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $399 – making Guayaquil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

09:17 9:17 AM

08:17 8:17 AM

1 h behind Guayaquil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 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 October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Guayaquil San Jose 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Guayaquil
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

Guayaquil vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,710 per month in Guayaquil and $2,924 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $403 per month in Guayaquil and $971 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 100% more in San Jose, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guayaquil, where all-in costs run around $1,140, than in San Jose at $1,949. In Guayaquil it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guayaquil – 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 Guayaquil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Jose makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.