Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,571 in San Jose versus $1,512 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,481 in San Jose versus $2,121 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,392 in San Jose versus $2,730 in Cartago.

Living in San Jose is roughly 4% more expensive than Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 17% above, Cartago 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₡4,935

$7.95 ₡3,631

35.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 ₡27.2K

$31.47 ₡14.4K

89.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 ₡4,637

$9.17 ₡4,191

10.69%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₡1,772

$3.82 ₡1,746

1.57%

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

$1.98 ₡906

$1.93 ₡884

2.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡758

$1.23 ₡561

34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ₡1,380

$2.01 ₡917

50.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₡2,171

$4.75 ₡2,169

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₡908

$1.96 ₡898

1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 ₡1,321

$2.19 ₡1,001

31.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,011

$2.15 ₡980

2.79%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,337

$2.91 ₡1,331

0.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 ₡4,439

$7.84 ₡3,582

23.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 ₡4,133

$9.30 ₡4,247

-2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₡6,164

$13.63 ₡6,227

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 ₡2,012

$4.43 ₡2,023

-0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡682

$1.17 ₡536

27.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 ₡1,959

$4.03 ₡1,840

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,578

$2.64 ₡1,207

30.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₡1,623

$1.96 ₡894

81.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,410

$1.98 ₡903

56.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡443

$1.04 ₡474

-6.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,288

$1.94 ₡888

45.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 ₡2,468

$5.11 ₡2,337

5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.19 ₡10.1K

$15.30 ₡6,992

45.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,156

$2.45 ₡1,117

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,273

$1.80 ₡823

55.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₡467

$1.01 ₡463

0.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.73 ₡19.1K

$69.0 ₡31.5K

-39.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₡831

$1.37 ₡624

32.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡810

$1.86 ₡852

-4.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₡3,625

$7.91 ₡3,616

0.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡661

$1.41 ₡646

2.84%

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

$37.7K ₡17.2M

$37.4K ₡17.1M

0.82%

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

$32.4K ₡14.8M

$32.3K ₡14.8M

0.10%

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

$92.1 ₡42.1K

$49.02 ₡22.4K

87.78%

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

$26.20 ₡12.0K

$25.60 ₡11.7K

2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 ₡27.4K

$57.9 ₡26.4K

3.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ₡25.9K

$57.3 ₡26.2K

-1.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.58 ₡17.2K

$24.06 ₡11.0K

56.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ₡4,562

$6.47 ₡2,958

54.25%

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

$560 ₡256.0K

$491 ₡224.2K

14.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.9M

$7,189 ₡3.3M

78.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 ₡29.1K

$61.5 ₡28.1K

3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 ₡23.8K

$51.7 ₡23.6K

0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡57.2K

$109 ₡49.6K

15.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.9K

$80.4 ₡36.7K

33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 ₡401.6K

$760 ₡347.2K

15.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ₡247.2K

$602 ₡274.9K

-10.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 ₡647.7K

$734 ₡335.4K

93.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 ₡464.8K

$770 ₡351.7K

32.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,258 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,806 ₡825.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 ₡476.1K

$1,312 ₡599.5K

-20.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

1.70%

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

Last update for San Jose: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $879 in San Jose and $760 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in San Jose vs $31.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $315 per month, with Cartago cheaper across the board.

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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 26% less. 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: $879 in San Jose versus $760 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cartago runs roughly 65% less than in San Jose. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $560 in San Jose versus $491 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,512 in Cartago versus $1,571 in San Jose, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in San Jose. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cartago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Jose, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Jose and Cartago 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 Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in San Jose. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.