Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kenosha, WI and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,376 in Kenosha, WI, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kenosha, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,376
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,376 per month in Kenosha, WI vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Kenosha, WI $2,376
  • San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Kenosha, WI vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Kenosha, WI $3,579
  • San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $4,782 per month in Kenosha, WI vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Kenosha, WI $4,782
  • San Jose $3,934

Kenosha, WI costs about 23% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kenosha, WI and San Jose sit above the global median – Kenosha, WI by 76%, San Jose by 44%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.35 $20.35
$12.38 ₡5,551
64.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.2 $67.2
$60.9 ₡27.3K
10.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.06 $10.06
$11.45 ₡5,135
-12.14%
Cappuccino
$5.62 $5.62
$4.39 ₡1,967
28.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 $2.69
$2.70 ₡1,211
-0.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.93 ₡864
0.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.56 $4.56
$3.20 ₡1,433
42.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.97 $7.97
$4.41 ₡1,979
80.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$2.44 ₡1,093
-62.30%
White Bread (500g)
$3.56 $3.56
$3.05 ₡1,369
16.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.14 $4.14
$2.41 ₡1,081
71.78%
Eggs
$3.62 $3.62
$3.40 ₡1,523
6.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.83 $14.83
$10.75 ₡4,823
37.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.73 $8.73
$10.43 ₡4,679
-16.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.93 $10.93
$13.99 ₡6,273
-21.87%
Apples (1kg)
$4.63 $4.63
$5.25 ₡2,353
-11.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 $1.44
$1.59 ₡712
-9.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.16 $2.16
$4.69 ₡2,103
-53.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.75 $4.75
$3.95 ₡1,770
20.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 $1.52
$3.92 ₡1,760
-61.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.14 $2.14
$3.68 ₡1,651
-41.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.12 ₡503
14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 $2.46
$3.19 ₡1,429
-22.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.58 $10.58
$6.00 ₡2,692
76.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.37 $15.37
$19.56 ₡8,771
-21.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$2.82 ₡1,263
-37.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 $4.58
$3.59 ₡1,611
27.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.12 ₡503
75.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.6 $59.6
$66.8 ₡30.0K
-10.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.07 $4.07
$2.50 ₡1,119
62.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.63 ₡733
21.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.85 $43.85
$8.50 ₡3,812
415.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.56 ₡701
-39.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K $35.6K
$22.4K ₡10.0M
59.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K $25.1K
$35.6K ₡16.0M
-29.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 $157
$95.2 ₡42.7K
65.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.7 $52.7
$35.58 ₡16.0K
48.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.6 $66.6
$58.6 ₡26.3K
13.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.03 $48.03
$72.7 ₡32.6K
-33.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.85 ₡11.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.13 $10.13
$7.58 ₡3,401
33.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,094 $1,094
$1,001 ₡449.0K
9.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.2K $23.2K
$17.1K ₡7.7M
35.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.3 $64.3
$70.5 ₡31.6K
-8.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.68 $49.68
$55.8 ₡25.0K
-11.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 $89.8
$130 ₡58.2K
-30.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.3 $84.3
$131 ₡58.7K
-35.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,482 $1,482
$927 ₡415.8K
59.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,149 $1,149
$774 ₡347.2K
48.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,833 $1,833
$1,967 ₡882.0K
-6.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,083 $2,083
$1,288 ₡577.6K
61.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,274 ₡1.0M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,831 ₡821.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kenosha, WI
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,798 $3,798
$1,016 ₡455.8K
273.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.69
8.62
-22.39%

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

Last update for Kenosha, WI: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kenosha, WI
$1.1K
San Jose
$774 32.6% $375
Groceries & Markets
Kenosha, WI
$353
San Jose
$401 13.6% $48
Eating Out
Kenosha, WI
$318
San Jose
$229 27.8% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kenosha, WI
$277
San Jose
$189 31.5% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Kenosha, WI
$130
San Jose
$174 34.3% $44
Getting Around
Kenosha, WI
$81
San Jose
$82 0.7% $0.5
Sport & Entertainment
Kenosha, WI
$68
San Jose
$88 28.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,482 in Kenosha, WI versus $927 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 274% higher in Kenosha, WI, 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 $67.0 in Kenosha, WI versus $61.0 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $353 in Kenosha, WI vs $401 in San Jose – so Kenosha, WI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Kenosha, WI
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
18:43 6:43 PM
17:43 5:43 PM
1 h behind Kenosha, WI
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
99,986
342,188 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kenosha, WI San Jose 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kenosha, 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
Kenosha, WI vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kenosha, WI and in San Jose compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,376 in Kenosha, WI, $1,938 in San Jose – roughly 23% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Kenosha, WI compared to San Jose?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,564 per month in Kenosha, WI and $2,907 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kenosha, WI and San Jose?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Kenosha, WI and $61.0 in San Jose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kenosha, WI or San Jose?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,376 in Kenosha, WI and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 23%.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Kenosha, WI at $2,376. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kenosha, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Kenosha, WI and San Jose?
It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,938 in San Jose to $2,376 in Kenosha, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Kenosha, WI and San Jose?
If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kenosha, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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