Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and San Ramon Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and San Ramon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,318 in Jaco Beach versus $1,552 in San Ramon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Jaco Beach versus $2,341 in San Ramon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,928 in Jaco Beach versus $3,130 in San Ramon.

Living in Jaco Beach costs roughly 15% less than in San Ramon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jaco Beach is 2% below, San Ramon is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 ₡3,189

$6.00 ₡2,742

16.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.46 ₡18.0K

$50.7 ₡23.2K

-22.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ₡4,162

$9.89 ₡4,519

-7.89%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₡1,806

$3.79 ₡1,733

4.22%

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

$1.53 ₡701

$1.99 ₡911

-23.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₡422

$1.58 ₡722

-41.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,345

$2.89 ₡1,322

2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,324

$4.59 ₡2,095

-36.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 ₡635

$1.40 ₡640

-0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ₡917

$2.75 ₡1,258

-26.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡983

$2.25 ₡1,030

-4.44%

Eggs

$2.42 ₡1,108

$4.56 ₡2,085

-46.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 ₡4,421

$10.00 ₡4,568

-3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 ₡3,819

$9.11 ₡4,160

-8.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ₡5,072

$13.65 ₡6,235

-18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 ₡2,108

$4.47 ₡2,042

3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₡696

$1.36 ₡622

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ₡1,884

$4.33 ₡1,977

-4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 ₡1,437

$3.30 ₡1,506

-4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ₡632

$3.36 ₡1,536

-58.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ₡610

$2.93 ₡1,337

-54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₡408

$1.12 ₡513

-20.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₡812

$2.85 ₡1,301

-37.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 ₡2,353

$5.02 ₡2,294

2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 ₡6,365

$17.05 ₡7,790

-18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₡1,106

$2.33 ₡1,067

3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡901

$2.62 ₡1,195

-24.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₡458

$0.96 ₡437

4.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₡857

$1.86 ₡849

1.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 ₡827

$1.79 ₡816

1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 ₡3,637

$8.01 ₡3,658

-0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₡673

$1.62 ₡740

-9.26%

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

$37.9K ₡17.3M

$37.4K ₡17.1M

1.44%

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

$31.9K ₡14.6M

$32.0K ₡14.6M

-0.23%

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

$71.0 ₡32.4K

$129 ₡59.0K

-45.00%

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

$22.01 ₡10.1K

$40.17 ₡18.3K

-45.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.16 ₡19.3K

$49.70 ₡22.7K

-15.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.47 ₡21.7K

$34.42 ₡15.7K

37.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.05 ₡11.0K

$24.17 ₡11.0K

-0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 ₡4,567

$10.01 ₡4,571

-0.10%

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

$444 ₡202.7K

$523 ₡238.9K

-15.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 ₡3.0M

$12.4K ₡5.7M

-46.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 ₡28.0K

$62.4 ₡28.5K

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 ₡23.1K

$51.2 ₡23.4K

-1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡57.1K

$128 ₡58.5K

-2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.6K

$107 ₡48.8K

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 ₡249.8K

$770 ₡351.8K

-28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₡225.6K

$602 ₡275.0K

-17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 ₡864.7K

$1,528 ₡698.2K

23.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 ₡475.4K

$969 ₡442.8K

7.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,150 ₡525.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 ₡525.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 ₡181.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for Jaco Beach: April 13, 2026

Last update for San Ramon: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Jaco Beach and $770 in San Ramon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39 in Jaco Beach vs $51 in San Ramon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $355 per month, with Jaco Beach cheaper across the board.

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

Jaco Beach vs San Ramon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,976 in Jaco Beach and $2,329 in San Ramon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $547 in Jaco Beach versus $770 in San Ramon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $444 in Jaco Beach versus $523 in San Ramon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $51.0 in San Ramon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,318 in Jaco Beach versus $1,552 in San Ramon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in San Ramon. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Ramon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jaco Beach and San Ramon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in San Ramon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.