Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Keene, NH and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,772 in Keene, NH, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Keene, NH, United States
San Jose, Costa Rica
Keene, NH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,772
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,772 in Keene, NH versus $2,107 in San Jose.

  • Keene, NH $2,772
  • San Jose $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,885 in Keene, NH versus $3,081 in San Jose.

  • Keene, NH $2,885
  • San Jose $3,081

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Keene, NH versus $4,054 in San Jose.

  • Keene, NH $2,999
  • San Jose $4,054

Living in Keene, NH is roughly 32% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Keene, NH 105% above, San Jose 56% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.76 $19.76
$12.37 ₡5,563
59.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.8 $99.8
$62.4 ₡28.0K
60.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.94 $11.94
$11.71 ₡5,264
1.96%
Cappuccino
$2.95 $2.95
$4.54 ₡2,040
-35.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 $3.02
$2.75 ₡1,238
9.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.86 ₡837
-44.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.96 $7.96
$3.35 ₡1,505
137.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.22 $8.22
$4.32 ₡1,944
90.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 $1.16
$2.36 ₡1,061
-50.85%
White Bread (500g)
$4.59 $4.59
$3.07 ₡1,379
49.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.14 $7.14
$2.51 ₡1,128
184.46%
Eggs
$5.28 $5.28
$3.53 ₡1,585
49.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.78 $15.78
$10.54 ₡4,738
49.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.42 $14.42
$10.57 ₡4,754
36.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 $18.97
$13.92 ₡6,261
36.28%
Apples (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$5.20 ₡2,338
-13.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.65 ₡740
20.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.42 $5.42
$4.89 ₡2,198
10.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.47 $7.47
$3.84 ₡1,728
94.53%
Potato (1kg)
$4.41 $4.41
$3.91 ₡1,757
12.79%
Onion (1kg)
$4.12 $4.12
$3.76 ₡1,692
9.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.94 $2.94
$1.12 ₡504
162.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.96 $2.96
$3.22 ₡1,447
-8.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.26 $13.26
$6.02 ₡2,706
120.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.48 $15.48
$19.84 ₡8,919
-21.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.09 $3.09
$2.81 ₡1,264
9.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50 $4.50
$3.65 ₡1,643
23.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.08 ₡487
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$65.2 ₡29.3K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.26 ₡1,018
11.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 $1.80
$1.78 ₡799
1.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.75 $27.75
$7.90 ₡3,551
251.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.50 ₡673
-40.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5K $29.5K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-11.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-36.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.7 $99.7
$93.2 ₡41.9K
7.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.22 $25.22
$36.13 ₡16.2K
-30.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.4 $70.4
$60.6 ₡27.2K
16.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.85 $30.85
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-55.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.94 ₡11.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.73 $13.73
$7.67 ₡3,449
79.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,561 $2,561
$972 ₡436.9K
163.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$45.6K $45.6K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
141.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.1 $75.1
$70.6 ₡31.8K
6.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.58 $49.58
$56.7 ₡25.5K
-12.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 $114
$129 ₡57.8K
-11.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152 $152
$131 ₡58.8K
16.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 $1,628
$1,170 ₡525.9K
39.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,528 $1,528
$943 ₡424.1K
62.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,984 ₡892.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,400 ₡629.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,752 $2,752
$2,681 ₡1.2M
2.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,769 $2,769
$2,037 ₡915.8K
35.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Keene, NH
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$987 ₡443.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.85
8.62
-20.53%

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

Last update for Keene, NH: November 1, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Keene, NH
$1.5K
San Jose
$943 38.3% $585
Groceries & Markets
Keene, NH
$501
San Jose
$403 19.7% $99
Eating Out
Keene, NH
$302
San Jose
$232 23% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Keene, NH
$195
San Jose
$190 2.8% $5.4
Clothing & Footwear
Keene, NH
$176
San Jose
$174 1.1% $1.9
Sport & Entertainment
Keene, NH
$58
San Jose
$84 44.5% $26
Getting Around
Keene, NH
$12 *
San Jose
$81 600% $69

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Keene, NH and $1,170 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Keene, NH vs $62 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $403 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Keene, NH
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
12:57 12:57 PM
11:57 11:57 AM
1 h behind Keene, NH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
23,047
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 = 0.89 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Keene, NH San Jose 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Keene, NH
  • 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
Keene, NH vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Keene, NH or San Jose?
San Jose wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Keene, NH. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making San Jose the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Keene, NH and in San Jose?
You’d need roughly $4,158 in Keene, NH and $3,161 in San Jose 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Keene, NH compared to San Jose?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Keene, NH versus $1,170 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Keene, NH and in San Jose?
Childcare runs $2,561 in Keene, NH versus $972 in San Jose. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Keene, NH and in San Jose?
Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $62 versus $100 in Keene, NH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Keene, NH or in San Jose?
At $2,107 in San Jose versus $2,772 in Keene, NH, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Keene, NH. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Keene, NH or San Jose?
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.

Keene, NH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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