Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Charles, MO and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,184 in Saint Charles, MO, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Saint Charles, MO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

106

Cost of Living Index in Saint Charles, MO
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Saint Charles, MO Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Saint Charles, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,184

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,184 in Saint Charles, MO versus $1,924 in San Jose.

Saint Charles, MO $2,184
San Jose $1,924

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,474 in Saint Charles, MO versus $2,926 in San Jose.

Saint Charles, MO $3,474
San Jose $2,926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,763 in Saint Charles, MO versus $3,929 in San Jose.

Saint Charles, MO $4,763
San Jose $3,929

Living in Saint Charles, MO is roughly 14% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Charles, MO 61% above, San Jose 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.80 $14.80

$12.29 ₡5,513

20.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 $60.0

$62.3 ₡27.9K

-3.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$11.53 ₡5,171

2.60%

Cappuccino

$4.84 $4.84

$4.35 ₡1,953

11.26%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$2.64 ₡1,183

-1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.86 ₡836

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.32 ₡1,490

52.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$4.52 ₡2,026

36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$2.39 ₡1,073

-68.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.08 ₡1,381

-15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$2.50 ₡1,119

150.80%

Eggs

$3.12 $3.12

$3.48 ₡1,562

-10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 $9.38

$10.74 ₡4,815

-12.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$10.32 ₡4,629

-36.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.11 $24.11

$14.10 ₡6,325

70.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$5.03 ₡2,256

-26.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.59 ₡714

35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.18 $10.18

$4.84 ₡2,171

110.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.96 ₡1,776

29.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.76 ₡1,684

-3.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.73 ₡1,674

-0.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.08 ₡485

95.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.25 ₡1,456

-33.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 $11.14

$5.86 ₡2,627

90.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 $12.02

$20.28 ₡9,095

-40.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.90 ₡1,300

-34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.73 ₡1,673

-31.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.90 $4.90

$1.08 ₡486

353.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.50 ₡1,123

22.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.63 ₡732

3.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.89 $49.89

$8.71 ₡3,904

472.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.58 ₡709

-42.41%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

-18.06%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-36.09%

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

$334 $334

$93.7 ₡42.0K

257.14%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$35.42 ₡15.9K

72.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 $75.5

$60.0 ₡26.9K

25.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.26 $49.26

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-32.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 $11.93

$7.74 ₡3,471

54.13%

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

$980 $980

$1,005 ₡450.9K

-2.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 $68.9

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-5.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 $42.64

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 $78.6

$128 ₡57.5K

-38.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$130 ₡58.5K

22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 $1,479

$932 ₡418.0K

58.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 $790

$760 ₡340.8K

4.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$1,922 ₡862.0K

2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 $1,917

$1,276 ₡572.1K

50.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,223 $4,223

$1,029 ₡461.3K

310.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

8.62

-23.67%

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

Last update for Saint Charles, MO: October 18, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Charles, MO

$790 36.2%

San Jose

$760 39.5% 3.9% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Charles, MO

$471 21.6%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 59.9% $282

Groceries & Markets

Saint Charles, MO

$393 18%

San Jose

$403 21% 2.5% $10

Eating Out

Saint Charles, MO

$267 12.3%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 14.4% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Charles, MO

$158 7.2%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 10.5% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Charles, MO

$73 3.4%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 20.4% $15

Getting Around

Saint Charles, MO

$31 * 1.4%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 159% $49

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,479 in Saint Charles, MO and $932 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Charles, MO pays 311% 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: $60.0 in Saint Charles, MO vs $62.0 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $403 per month, with Saint Charles, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Charles, MO

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

17:42 5:42 PM

16:42 4:42 PM

1 h behind Saint Charles, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

70,329

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Saint Charles, MO San Jose 3,270 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Charles, MO
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

Saint Charles, MO vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Charles, MO and San Jose differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,184 vs $1,924 including rent). San Jose is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 311% higher in Saint Charles, MO, 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: $1,479 in Saint Charles, MO versus $932 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Saint Charles, MO pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,184 per month in Saint Charles, MO versus $1,924 in San Jose – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,924 in San Jose versus $2,184 in Saint Charles, MO, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Saint Charles, MO. 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.

Safety-wise, Saint Charles, MO and San Jose are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Saint Charles, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.