Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Boca Raton, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $3,639 in Boca Raton, FL, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 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
174

Cost of Living Index in Boca Raton, FL
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Boca Raton, FL Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Boca Raton, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Boca Raton, FL

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 Boca Raton, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in San Jose versus $3,639 in Boca Raton, FL.

San Jose $2,107
Boca Raton, FL $3,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,081 in San Jose versus $5,362 in Boca Raton, FL.

San Jose $3,081
Boca Raton, FL $5,362

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,054 in San Jose versus $7,085 in Boca Raton, FL.

San Jose $4,054
Boca Raton, FL $7,085

Living in San Jose costs roughly 42% less than in Boca Raton, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 56% above, Boca Raton, FL 169% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.37 ₡5,563

$24.69 $24.69

-49.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 ₡28.0K

$101 $101

-38.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 ₡5,264

$12.34 $12.34

-5.11%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$4.62 $4.62

-1.73%

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

$2.75 ₡1,238

$2.26 $2.26

21.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡837

$1.93 $1.93

-3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,505

$6.17 $6.17

-45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,944

$7.15 $7.15

-39.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₡1,061

$1.04 $1.04

126.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₡1,379

$4.43 $4.43

-30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,128

$6.90 $6.90

-63.62%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$5.23 $5.23

-32.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 ₡4,738

$11.24 $11.24

-6.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,754

$14.46 $14.46

-26.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,261

$23.80 $23.80

-41.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 ₡2,338

$4.85 $4.85

7.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡740

$1.92 $1.92

-14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 ₡2,198

$3.67 $3.67

33.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,728

$5.01 $5.01

-23.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,757

$3.33 $3.33

17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,692

$3.40 $3.40

10.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$1.02 $1.02

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₡1,447

$2.55 $2.55

26.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 ₡2,706

$10.35 $10.35

-41.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.84 ₡8,919

$13.77 $13.77

44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,264

$1.93 $1.93

45.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ₡1,643

$2.29 $2.29

59.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡487

$2.05 $2.05

-47.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₡29.3K

$70.1 $70.1

-6.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$4.02 $4.02

-43.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡799

$0.78 $0.78

128.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ₡3,551

$29.74 $29.74

-73.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡673

$1.03 $1.03

45.63%

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

$33.5K ₡15.1M

$35.1K $35.1K

-4.62%

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

$42.3K ₡19.0M

$25.9K $25.9K

63.11%

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

$93.2 ₡41.9K

$216 $216

-56.80%

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

$36.13 ₡16.2K

$52.7 $52.7

-31.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$74.7 $74.7

-18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 ₡31.0K

$139 $139

-50.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

$20.65 $20.65

20.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ₡3,449

$14.80 $14.80

-48.18%

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

$972 ₡436.9K

$1,083 $1,083

-10.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K ₡8.5M

$23.3K $23.3K

-18.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 ₡31.8K

$46.80 $46.80

50.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 ₡25.5K

$41.64 $41.64

36.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.8K

$72.4 $72.4

77.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$68.7 $68.7

90.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 ₡525.9K

$2,742 $2,742

-57.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 ₡424.1K

$2,136 $2,136

-55.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ₡892.0K

$4,079 $4,079

-51.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 ₡629.5K

$3,662 $3,662

-61.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₡1.2M

$4,633 $4,633

-42.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,037 ₡915.8K

$3,262 $3,262

-37.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 ₡443.6K

$5,607 $5,607

-82.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.53

32.01%

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

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Last update for Boca Raton, FL: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$943 44.8%

Boca Raton, FL

$2.1K 58.7% 127% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 19.1%

Boca Raton, FL

$449 12.4% 11.6% $47

Eating Out

San Jose

$232 11%

Boca Raton, FL

$352 9.7% 51.4% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$190 9%

Boca Raton, FL

$343 9.4% 80.7% $153

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 8.3%

Boca Raton, FL

$103 2.8% 40.6% $71

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$84 4%

Boca Raton, FL

$169 4.6% 100% $84

Getting Around

San Jose

$81 3.8%

Boca Raton, FL

$86 2.4% 6.8% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,170 in San Jose and $2,742 in Boca Raton, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boca Raton, FL pays about 5.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in San Jose vs $101 in Boca Raton, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $449 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Boca Raton, FL

🕒 Local time

06:34 6:34 AM

07:34 7:34 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

86,396

💱 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 Boca Raton, FL 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Boca Raton, FL

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 Boca Raton, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose is about 42% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, leisure, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 82% lower in San Jose. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,170 in San Jose versus $2,742 in Boca Raton, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $62 versus $101 in Boca Raton, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,107 per month in San Jose versus $3,639 in Boca Raton, FL – San Jose is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,107 in San Jose versus $3,639 in Boca Raton, FL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Boca Raton, FL. 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 42% less than in Boca Raton, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.