Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lewiston, ME and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,803 in Lewiston, ME, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Lewiston, ME
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Lewiston, ME Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Lewiston, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,803

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,803 per month in Lewiston, ME vs $2,107 in San Jose, rent included.

Lewiston, ME $2,803
San Jose $2,107

A couple spends around $4,203 per month in Lewiston, ME vs $3,081 in San Jose, rent included.

Lewiston, ME $4,203
San Jose $3,081

A family of three spends $5,603 per month in Lewiston, ME vs $4,054 in San Jose, rent included.

Lewiston, ME $5,603
San Jose $4,054

Lewiston, ME costs about 33% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Lewiston, ME and San Jose sit above the global median – Lewiston, ME by 107%, San Jose by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.54 $16.54

$12.37 ₡5,563

33.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.4 $92.4

$62.4 ₡28.0K

48.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.71 ₡5,264

27.58%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.54 ₡2,040

24.01%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.75 ₡1,238

4.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.86 ₡837

46.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.35 ₡1,505

48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$4.32 ₡1,944

90.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.36 ₡1,061

-56.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.07 ₡1,379

26.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.51 ₡1,128

111.16%

Eggs

$4.77 $4.77

$3.53 ₡1,585

35.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$10.54 ₡4,738

8.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$10.57 ₡4,754

36.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.68 $17.68

$13.92 ₡6,261

27.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$5.20 ₡2,338

27.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.65 ₡740

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$4.89 ₡2,198

35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.84 ₡1,728

41.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.91 ₡1,757

-27.37%

Onion (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.76 ₡1,692

19.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.12 ₡504

103.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$3.22 ₡1,447

-69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$6.02 ₡2,706

52.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 $14.01

$19.84 ₡8,919

-29.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.81 ₡1,264

-25.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.65 ₡1,643

7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.08 ₡487

75.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 $54.3

$65.2 ₡29.3K

-16.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.26 ₡1,018

75.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.78 ₡799

36.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.72 $39.72

$7.90 ₡3,551

402.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.50 ₡673

-30.67%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$33.5K ₡15.1M

-18.97%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$42.3K ₡19.0M

-36.39%

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

$319 $319

$93.2 ₡41.9K

241.91%

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

$105 $105

$36.13 ₡16.2K

190.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$60.6 ₡27.2K

40.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 $45.71

$68.9 ₡31.0K

-33.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

Cinema Ticket

$14.64 $14.64

$7.67 ₡3,449

90.87%

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

$1,825 $1,825

$972 ₡436.9K

87.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.3K $44.3K

$18.9K ₡8.5M

134.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.97 $15.97

$70.6 ₡31.8K

-77.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 $38.23

$56.7 ₡25.5K

-32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 $81.5

$129 ₡57.8K

-36.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$131 ₡58.8K

-23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$999 $999

$1,170 ₡525.9K

-14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 $1,296

$943 ₡424.1K

37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 $2,559

$1,984 ₡892.0K

29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 $2,363

$1,400 ₡629.5K

68.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,214 $3,214

$2,681 ₡1.2M

19.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 $2,224

$2,037 ₡915.8K

9.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 ₡443.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

8.62

-22.97%

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

Last update for Lewiston, ME: 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

Lewiston, ME

$1.3K 46.3%

San Jose

$943 44.8% 27.2% $353

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lewiston, ME

$508 18.1%

San Jose

$190 9% 62.6% $318

Groceries & Markets

Lewiston, ME

$431 15.4%

San Jose

$403 19.1% 6.6% $28

Eating Out

Lewiston, ME

$309 11%

San Jose

$232 11% 24.7% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Lewiston, ME

$106 3.8%

San Jose

$174 8.3% 63.6% $68

Getting Around

Lewiston, ME

$78 2.8%

San Jose

$81 3.8% 3.4% $2.7

Sport & Entertainment

Lewiston, ME

$75 2.7%

San Jose

$84 4% 12.4% $9.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $999 in Lewiston, ME versus $1,170 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Lewiston, ME versus $62 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $403 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lewiston, ME

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

13:08 1:08 PM

12:08 12:08 PM

1 h behind Lewiston, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,226

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 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 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lewiston, ME San Jose 4,030 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Lewiston, ME
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

Lewiston, ME vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lewiston, ME is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,205 per month in Lewiston, ME and $3,161 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lewiston, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $999 there versus $1,170 in San Jose.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Lewiston, ME, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Lewiston, ME and $62 in San Jose. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Lewiston, ME at $2,803. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lewiston, ME it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,107 in San Jose to $2,803 in Lewiston, ME. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.