Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Billings, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,390 in Billings, MT, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Billings, MT
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Billings, MT Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Billings, MT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,390

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Billings, MT

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Jose and in Billings, MT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,107 per month in San Jose vs $2,390 in Billings, MT, rent included.

San Jose $2,107
Billings, MT $2,390

A couple spends around $3,081 per month in San Jose vs $3,554 in Billings, MT, rent included.

San Jose $3,081
Billings, MT $3,554

A family of three spends $4,054 per month in San Jose vs $4,718 in Billings, MT, rent included.

San Jose $4,054
Billings, MT $4,718

San Jose is about 12% cheaper than Billings, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Billings, MT sit above the global median – San Jose by 56%, Billings, MT by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.37 ₡5,563

$25.92 $25.92

-52.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 ₡28.0K

$76.2 $76.2

-18.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 ₡5,264

$13.32 $13.32

-12.09%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$6.35 $6.35

-28.50%

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

$2.75 ₡1,238

$2.51 $2.51

9.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡837

$1.65 $1.65

12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,505

$4.21 $4.21

-20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,944

$5.02 $5.02

-13.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₡1,061

$1.00 $1.00

136.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₡1,379

$3.44 $3.44

-10.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,128

$3.15 $3.15

-20.32%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$3.15 $3.15

12.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 ₡4,738

$11.83 $11.83

-10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,754

$11.72 $11.72

-9.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,261

$17.67 $17.67

-21.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 ₡2,338

$3.52 $3.52

47.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡740

$1.44 $1.44

14.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 ₡2,198

$2.87 $2.87

70.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,728

$4.69 $4.69

-18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,757

$1.18 $1.18

231.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,692

$1.97 $1.97

90.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.39 $2.39

-53.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₡1,447

$1.47 $1.47

119.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 ₡2,706

$9.82 $9.82

-38.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.84 ₡8,919

$10.70 $10.70

85.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,264

$2.26 $2.26

24.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ₡1,643

$5.18 $5.18

-29.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡487

$2.02 $2.02

-46.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₡29.3K

$28.45 $28.45

129.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$2.44 $2.44

-7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡799

$1.40 $1.40

27.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ₡3,551

$60.9 $60.9

-87.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡673

$1.02 $1.02

47.06%

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

$33.5K ₡15.1M

$29.2K $29.2K

14.74%

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

$42.3K ₡19.0M

$23.9K $23.9K

76.88%

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

$93.2 ₡41.9K

$175 $175

-46.74%

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

$36.13 ₡16.2K

$49.70 $49.70

-27.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$82.9 $82.9

-26.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 ₡31.0K

$41.56 $41.56

65.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

$14.97 $14.97

66.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ₡3,449

$14.02 $14.02

-45.29%

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

$972 ₡436.9K

$1,066 $1,066

-8.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K ₡8.5M

$8,517 $8,517

121.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 ₡31.8K

$59.0 $59.0

19.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 ₡25.5K

$66.9 $66.9

-15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.8K

$99.3 $99.3

29.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$120 $120

8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 ₡525.9K

$1,198 $1,198

-2.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 ₡424.1K

$1,085 $1,085

-13.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ₡892.0K

$1,860 $1,860

6.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 ₡629.5K

$1,804 $1,804

-22.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₡1.2M

$2,525 $2,525

6.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,037 ₡915.8K

$2,047 $2,047

-0.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 ₡443.6K

$3,874 $3,874

-74.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.4

34.69%

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

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Last update for Billings, MT: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$943 44.8%

Billings, MT

$1.1K 45.4% 15% $142

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 19.1%

Billings, MT

$356 14.9% 11.7% $47

Eating Out

San Jose

$232 11%

Billings, MT

$371 15.5% 59.8% $139

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$190 9%

Billings, MT

$308 12.9% 62% $118

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 8.3%

Billings, MT

$155 6.5% 10.7% $19

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$84 4%

Billings, MT

$70 2.9% 17.4% $15

Getting Around

San Jose

$81 3.8%

Billings, MT

$46 1.9% 43.1% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,170 in San Jose versus $1,198 in Billings, MT. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Billings, MT are about 3.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in San Jose versus $76 in Billings, MT. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in San Jose vs $356 in Billings, MT – so Billings, MT wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Billings, MT

🕒 Local time

08:48 8:48 AM

07:48 7:48 AM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

117,116

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Jose Billings, MT 4,610 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Billings, MT

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

San Jose vs Billings, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Billings, MT costs about 13% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,161 per month in San Jose and $3,586 in Billings, MT. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,170 in San Jose and $1,198 in Billings, MT. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Billings, MT. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $972 per month in San Jose and $1,066 in Billings, MT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,107 in San Jose to $2,390 in Billings, MT. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Billings, MT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.