Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Milwaukee, WI and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $2,502 in Milwaukee, WI, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Milwaukee, WI
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Milwaukee, WI Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Milwaukee, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,502

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,502 in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,949 in San Jose.

Milwaukee, WI $2,502
San Jose $1,949

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Milwaukee, WI versus $2,903 in San Jose.

Milwaukee, WI $3,628
San Jose $2,903

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,754 in Milwaukee, WI versus $3,857 in San Jose.

Milwaukee, WI $4,754
San Jose $3,857

Living in Milwaukee, WI is roughly 28% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milwaukee, WI 87% above, San Jose 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 $20.33

$12.22 ₡5,510

66.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$60.1 ₡27.1K

22.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$11.77 ₡5,305

-16.31%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$4.30 ₡1,939

19.53%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$2.72 ₡1,226

5.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.84 ₡830

10.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.28 ₡1,480

87.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 $7.61

$4.36 ₡1,966

74.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.38 ₡1,074

-66.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.12 ₡1,408

13.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$2.41 ₡1,086

117.01%

Eggs

$4.46 $4.46

$3.47 ₡1,564

28.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$10.57 ₡4,767

-4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 $13.72

$10.56 ₡4,758

29.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 $16.45

$13.75 ₡6,196

19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$5.04 ₡2,274

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.61 ₡727

-6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.59 ₡2,069

-1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$3.84 ₡1,731

34.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.77 ₡1,700

-31.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.76 ₡1,693

-30.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.12 ₡506

108.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.20 ₡1,441

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 $10.88

$5.84 ₡2,632

86.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 $15.90

$19.73 ₡8,897

-19.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.75 ₡1,240

-28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.66 ₡1,650

-6.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.12 ₡503

93.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.0 $71.0

$65.1 ₡29.4K

9.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.46 ₡1,110

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.54 ₡692

1.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.67 $20.67

$8.46 ₡3,815

144.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.55 ₡699

-36.13%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$21.7K ₡9.8M

64.86%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$34.9K ₡15.7M

-26.54%

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

$198 $198

$94.7 ₡42.7K

109.25%

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

$68.6 $68.6

$35.11 ₡15.8K

95.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$58.6 ₡26.4K

22.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 $43.29

$72.2 ₡32.5K

-40.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.72 $18.72

$25.19 ₡11.4K

-25.68%

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 $14.19

$7.83 ₡3,532

81.23%

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

$1,803 $1,803

$971 ₡437.9K

85.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$17.0K ₡7.7M

43.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$71.6 ₡32.3K

-23.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.46 $40.46

$54.9 ₡24.7K

-26.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 $91.7

$129 ₡58.2K

-28.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$133 ₡60.0K

-12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 $1,757

$934 ₡420.9K

88.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 $1,189

$770 ₡347.2K

54.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,804 $2,804

$1,945 ₡876.7K

44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 $1,837

$1,316 ₡593.5K

39.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 $2,741

$2,277 ₡1.0M

20.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 $1,683

$1,795 ₡809.1K

-6.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,747 $3,747

$1,006 ₡453.5K

272.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

8.62

-22.85%

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

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: October 3, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Milwaukee, WI

$1.2K 46.5%

San Jose

$770 39.9% 35.2% $419

Groceries & Markets

Milwaukee, WI

$409 16%

San Jose

$399 20.7% 2.5% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Milwaukee, WI

$338 13.2%

San Jose

$188 9.8% 44.3% $150

Eating Out

Milwaukee, WI

$319 12.5%

San Jose

$228 11.8% 28.6% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Milwaukee, WI

$137 5.4%

San Jose

$175 9.1% 27.8% $38

Getting Around

Milwaukee, WI

$90 3.5%

San Jose

$80 4.1% 11.8% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Milwaukee, WI

$72 2.8%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 22.6% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,757 in Milwaukee, WI and $934 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milwaukee, WI pays 272% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Milwaukee, WI vs $60.0 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $399 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Milwaukee, WI

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

07:25 7:25 AM

06:25 6:25 AM

1 h behind Milwaukee, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

605,013

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 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 October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 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

Milwaukee, WI San Jose 3,700 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Milwaukee, 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

Milwaukee, WI vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milwaukee, WI and San Jose differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($2,502 vs $1,949 including rent). San Jose is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 272% higher in Milwaukee, WI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,757 in Milwaukee, WI versus $934 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,502 per month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,949 in San Jose – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Jose runs roughly 9% less than in Milwaukee, WI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,949 in San Jose versus $2,502 in Milwaukee, WI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Milwaukee, WI. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Milwaukee, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.