Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Milton, FL and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $2,499 in Milton, FL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Milton, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Milton, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,499
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,949
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,499 per month in Milton, FL vs $1,949 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Milton, FL $2,499
  • San Jose $1,949

A couple spends around $3,605 per month in Milton, FL vs $2,903 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Milton, FL $3,605
  • San Jose $2,903

A family of three spends $4,710 per month in Milton, FL vs $3,857 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Milton, FL $4,710
  • San Jose $3,857

Milton, FL costs about 28% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Milton, FL and San Jose sit above the global median – Milton, FL by 86%, San Jose by 45%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.80 $9.80
$12.22 ₡5,510
-19.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$60.1 ₡27.1K
67.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.10 $10.10
$11.77 ₡5,305
-14.19%
Cappuccino
$4.49 $4.49
$4.30 ₡1,939
4.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 $2.96
$2.72 ₡1,226
8.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.84 ₡830
19.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.43 $5.43
$3.28 ₡1,480
65.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.62 $7.62
$4.36 ₡1,966
74.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 $1.30
$2.38 ₡1,074
-45.38%
White Bread (500g)
$4.08 $4.08
$3.12 ₡1,408
30.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.61 $5.61
$2.41 ₡1,086
132.78%
Eggs
$5.11 $5.11
$3.47 ₡1,564
47.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.14 $11.14
$10.57 ₡4,767
5.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.02 $10.02
$10.56 ₡4,758
-5.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.47 $15.47
$13.75 ₡6,196
12.51%
Apples (1kg)
$5.10 $5.10
$5.04 ₡2,274
1.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 $1.68
$1.61 ₡727
4.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.25 $5.25
$4.59 ₡2,069
14.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$3.84 ₡1,731
42.71%
Potato (1kg)
$4.37 $4.37
$3.77 ₡1,700
15.92%
Onion (1kg)
$3.18 $3.18
$3.76 ₡1,693
-15.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.12 ₡506
102.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$3.20 ₡1,441
-17.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.20 $7.20
$5.84 ₡2,632
23.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.13 $15.13
$19.73 ₡8,897
-23.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$2.75 ₡1,240
-7.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 $3.99
$3.66 ₡1,650
9.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.12 ₡503
94.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$65.1 ₡29.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.42 $3.42
$2.46 ₡1,110
39.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.54 ₡692
-2.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.20 $35.20
$8.46 ₡3,815
316.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.55 ₡699
-35.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K $35.1K
$21.7K ₡9.8M
61.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$34.9K ₡15.7M
-26.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$265 $265
$94.7 ₡42.7K
179.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.9 $71.9
$35.11 ₡15.8K
104.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.4 $74.4
$58.6 ₡26.4K
27.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.56 $41.56
$72.2 ₡32.5K
-42.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.19 ₡11.4K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.49 $12.49
$7.83 ₡3,532
59.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,576 $1,576
$971 ₡437.9K
62.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K $10.1K
$17.0K ₡7.7M
-40.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.37 $44.37
$71.6 ₡32.3K
-38.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.62 $29.62
$54.9 ₡24.7K
-46.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.4 $85.4
$129 ₡58.2K
-33.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$133 ₡60.0K
-9.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 $1,420
$934 ₡420.9K
52.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,264 $1,264
$770 ₡347.2K
64.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,495 $2,495
$1,945 ₡876.7K
28.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 $1,922
$1,316 ₡593.5K
45.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,736 $2,736
$2,277 ₡1.0M
20.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 $2,299
$1,795 ₡809.1K
28.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Milton, FL
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,006 ₡453.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.66
8.62
-22.74%

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

Last update for Milton, FL: October 6, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Milton, FL
$1.3K
San Jose
$770 39.1% $494
Groceries & Markets
Milton, FL
$422
San Jose
$399 5.4% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Milton, FL
$411
San Jose
$188 54.2% $223
Eating Out
Milton, FL
$226
San Jose
$228 1.1% $2.5
Clothing & Footwear
Milton, FL
$126
San Jose
$175 38.9% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Milton, FL
$67
San Jose
$88 32% $21
Getting Around
Milton, FL
$20 *
San Jose
$80 306% $60

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,420 in Milton, FL versus $934 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 $101 in Milton, FL versus $60.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $399 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Milton, FL
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
12:38 12:38 PM
11:38 11:38 AM
1 h behind Milton, FL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,902
342,188 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Milton, FL San Jose 2,320 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Milton, FL
  • 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
Milton, FL vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Jose cheaper than Milton, FL?
Yes – Milton, FL is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,748 per month in Milton, FL and $2,924 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Milton, FL and in San Jose?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,499 in Milton, FL and $1,949 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 28%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,576 per month in Milton, FL and $971 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Milton, FL or in San Jose?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Milton, FL at $2,499. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Milton, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Milton, FL or San Jose more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Jose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Milton, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Milton, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?