Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Tablas and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,938 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $458 per month in Las Tablas vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Las Tablas $458
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $680 per month in Las Tablas vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Las Tablas $680
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $902 per month in Las Tablas vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Las Tablas $902
San Jose $3,934

Las Tablas is about 76% cheaper than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Las Tablas sits 66% below the global median, while San Jose is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.99 PAB 9.99

$12.38 ₡5,551

-19.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.72 PAB 29.72

$60.9 ₡27.3K

-51.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 PAB 8.34

$11.45 ₡5,135

-27.16%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

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

$0.99 PAB 0.99

$2.70 ₡1,211

-63.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 PAB 1.03

$1.93 ₡864

-46.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$3.20 ₡1,433

-61.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$4.41 ₡1,979

-39.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 PAB 1.93

$3.05 ₡1,369

-36.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

Eggs

$2.11 PAB 2.11

$3.40 ₡1,523

-37.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 PAB 4.34

$5.25 ₡2,353

-17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 PAB 1.26

$1.59 ₡712

-20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 PAB 1.55

$3.95 ₡1,770

-60.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.12 ₡503

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 PAB 1.03

$3.19 ₡1,429

-67.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 PAB 5.68

$19.56 ₡8,771

-70.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 PAB 1.31

$2.82 ₡1,263

-53.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 PAB 1.72

$3.59 ₡1,611

-52.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 PAB 0.99

$2.50 ₡1,119

-60.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PAB 0.89

$1.56 ₡701

-42.95%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

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

$149 PAB 149

$95.2 ₡42.7K

56.40%

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

$22.86 PAB 22.86

$35.58 ₡16.0K

-35.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.04 PAB 37.04

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.94 PAB 19.94

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-72.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

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

Last update for Las Tablas: 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

Las Tablas

–

San Jose

$774 40%

Groceries & Markets

Las Tablas

–

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Eating Out

Las Tablas

–

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Las Tablas

–

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Clothing & Footwear

Las Tablas

–

San Jose

$174 9%

Sport & Entertainment

Las Tablas

–

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Getting Around

Las Tablas

–

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Las Tablas versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $401 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

06:01 6:01 AM

05:01 5:01 AM

1 h behind Las Tablas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,939

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Las Tablas San Jose 480 km

From you

Las Tablas
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

Las Tablas vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose costs about 323% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $687 per month in Las Tablas and $2,907 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $458 in Las Tablas and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 323%.

Groceries cost about 288% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in San Jose at $1,938. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Tablas costs $458 versus $1,938 in San Jose. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Las Tablas. 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.