Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Pleasant, SC and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,519 in Mount Pleasant, SC, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Mount Pleasant, SC
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Mount Pleasant, SC Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Mount Pleasant, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,519

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,519 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $2,107 in San Jose.

Mount Pleasant, SC $2,519
San Jose $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,977 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $3,081 in San Jose.

Mount Pleasant, SC $3,977
San Jose $3,081

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,434 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $4,054 in San Jose.

Mount Pleasant, SC $5,434
San Jose $4,054

Living in Mount Pleasant, SC is roughly 20% 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: Mount Pleasant, SC 86% above, San Jose 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$12.37 ₡5,563

58.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$62.4 ₡28.0K

29.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$11.71 ₡5,264

-7.00%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$4.54 ₡2,040

27.09%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.75 ₡1,238

1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.86 ₡837

19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.35 ₡1,505

81.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.32 ₡1,944

79.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.36 ₡1,061

-55.93%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.07 ₡1,379

31.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.51 ₡1,128

26.69%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$3.53 ₡1,585

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$10.54 ₡4,738

56.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$10.57 ₡4,754

38.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 $17.94

$13.92 ₡6,261

28.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$5.20 ₡2,338

1.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.65 ₡740

-12.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.89 ₡2,198

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.84 ₡1,728

21.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.91 ₡1,757

-3.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.76 ₡1,692

-18.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.12 ₡504

83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.22 ₡1,447

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.30 $8.30

$6.02 ₡2,706

37.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.34 $15.34

$19.84 ₡8,919

-22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.81 ₡1,264

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.65 ₡1,643

-19.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.08 ₡487

70.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.5 $61.5

$65.2 ₡29.3K

-5.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.26 ₡1,018

33.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.78 ₡799

-28.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.54 $29.54

$7.90 ₡3,551

273.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.50 ₡673

-32.67%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$33.5K ₡15.1M

-22.16%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$42.3K ₡19.0M

-39.19%

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

$173 $173

$93.2 ₡41.9K

86.03%

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

$68.4 $68.4

$36.13 ₡16.2K

89.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 $79.4

$60.6 ₡27.2K

31.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 $39.88

$68.9 ₡31.0K

-42.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 $13.77

$7.67 ₡3,449

79.53%

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

$1,261 $1,261

$972 ₡436.9K

29.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$18.9K ₡8.5M

18.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.89 $49.89

$70.6 ₡31.8K

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.58 $37.58

$56.7 ₡25.5K

-33.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 $94.8

$129 ₡57.8K

-26.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$131 ₡58.8K

4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$1,170 ₡525.9K

33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 $1,148

$943 ₡424.1K

21.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,816 $2,816

$1,984 ₡892.0K

41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$1,400 ₡629.5K

69.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,797 $2,797

$2,681 ₡1.2M

4.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,493 $2,493

$2,037 ₡915.8K

22.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,669 $6,669

$987 ₡443.6K

575.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

8.62

-23.32%

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

Last update for Mount Pleasant, SC: November 3, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mount Pleasant, SC

$1.1K 45.6%

San Jose

$943 44.8% 17.9% $205

Groceries & Markets

Mount Pleasant, SC

$436 17.3%

San Jose

$403 19.1% 7.6% $33

Eating Out

Mount Pleasant, SC

$325 12.9%

San Jose

$232 11% 28.5% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mount Pleasant, SC

$321 12.8%

San Jose

$190 9% 40.9% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Mount Pleasant, SC

$144 5.7%

San Jose

$174 8.3% 21.2% $30

Getting Around

Mount Pleasant, SC

$78 3.1%

San Jose

$81 3.8% 3.2% $2.5

Sport & Entertainment

Mount Pleasant, SC

$67 2.7%

San Jose

$84 4% 25% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,561 in Mount Pleasant, SC and $1,170 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mount Pleasant, SC pays about 6.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $81 in Mount Pleasant, SC vs $62 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $403 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mount Pleasant, SC

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

09:37 9:37 AM

08:37 8:37 AM

1 h behind Mount Pleasant, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,202

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

Mount Pleasant, SC San Jose 2,580 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mount Pleasant, SC
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

Mount Pleasant, SC vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,519 in Mount Pleasant, SC and $2,107 in San Jose, so San Jose is about 16% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Mount Pleasant, SC is about 6.8 times higher, 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: $1,561 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $1,170 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Mount Pleasant, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $62 versus $81 in Mount Pleasant, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,107 in San Jose versus $2,519 in Mount Pleasant, SC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Mount Pleasant, SC. 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.

It comes down to priorities – San Jose wins on affordability, Mount Pleasant, SC on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.