Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Chelan, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,685 in Chelan, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Chelan, WA
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Chelan, WA Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Chelan, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,685

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Chelan, WA

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 Chelan, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,924 per month in San Jose vs $2,685 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

San Jose $1,924
Chelan, WA $2,685

A couple spends around $2,926 per month in San Jose vs $3,965 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

San Jose $2,926
Chelan, WA $3,965

A family of three spends $3,929 per month in San Jose vs $5,245 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

San Jose $3,929
Chelan, WA $5,245

San Jose is about 28% cheaper than Chelan, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Chelan, WA sit above the global median – San Jose by 42%, Chelan, WA by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 ₡5,562

$25.39 $25.39

-51.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡28.2K

$101 $101

-38.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 ₡5,217

$14.72 $14.72

-21.67%

Cappuccino

$4.35 ₡1,970

$6.52 $6.52

-33.28%

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

$2.64 ₡1,194

$3.21 $3.21

-17.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡843

$3.00 $3.00

-38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,503

$7.99 $7.99

-58.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₡2,044

$7.84 $7.84

-42.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,082

$1.08 $1.08

121.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,394

$3.37 $3.37

-8.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,129

$4.43 $4.43

-43.57%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,576

$4.95 $4.95

-29.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,857

$10.92 $10.92

-1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,670

$6.57 $6.57

57.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,381

$11.16 $11.16

26.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 ₡2,276

$4.27 $4.27

17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡720

$1.86 $1.86

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ₡2,190

$4.33 $4.33

11.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,792

$4.33 $4.33

-8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,699

$2.16 $2.16

74.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,688

$2.26 $2.26

65.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡489

$1.97 $1.97

-45.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,469

$2.51 $2.51

29.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,650

$9.25 $9.25

-36.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 ₡9,176

$10.07 $10.07

101.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,312

$4.27 $4.27

-32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₡1,688

$5.10 $5.10

-26.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡490

$2.06 $2.06

-47.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.6K

$60.2 $60.2

8.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,133

$2.66 $2.66

-6.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡738

$1.64 $1.64

-0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 ₡3,939

$30.33 $30.33

-71.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡715

$1.37 $1.37

15.33%

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

$33.6K ₡15.2M

$34.5K $34.5K

-2.58%

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

$41.7K ₡18.9M

$26.1K $26.1K

59.51%

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

$93.7 ₡42.4K

$254 $254

-63.14%

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

$35.42 ₡16.0K

$70.6 $70.6

-49.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡27.1K

$50.4 $50.4

19.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.8K

$46.44 $46.44

56.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.7K

$9.92 $9.92

160.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 ₡3,502

$12.22 $12.22

-36.66%

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

$1,005 ₡454.9K

$3,059 $3,059

-67.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.7M

$31.3K $31.3K

-45.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ₡33.0K

$40.62 $40.62

79.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡25.1K

$25.47 $25.47

117.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡58.0K

$60.0 $60.0

113.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡59.0K

$99.6 $99.6

30.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡421.7K

$1,568 $1,568

-40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡343.8K

$1,299 $1,299

-41.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡869.6K

$2,478 $2,478

-22.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡577.2K

$2,141 $2,141

-40.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

$2,972 $2,972

-22.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡829.1K

$2,492 $2,492

-26.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡465.4K

$4,061 $4,061

-74.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

43.67%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chelan, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$760 39.5%

Chelan, WA

$1.3K 48.4% 71% $539

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 21%

Chelan, WA

$353 13.2% 12.4% $50

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.9%

Chelan, WA

$406 15.1% 77.4% $177

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Chelan, WA

$375 14% 98.4% $186

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9.1%

Chelan, WA

$102 3.8% 41.7% $73

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Chelan, WA

$71 2.6% 19.5% $17

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.2%

Chelan, WA

$79 3% 1.4% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in San Jose versus $1,568 in Chelan, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chelan, WA 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 $101 in Chelan, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in San Jose vs $353 in Chelan, WA – so Chelan, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Chelan, WA

🕒 Local time

19:54 7:54 PM

18:54 6:54 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

4,200

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.21 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.97 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 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 October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 452 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 507 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.97 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose Chelan, WA 5,390 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Chelan, WA

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 Chelan, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chelan, WA costs about 40% 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 $2,886 per month in San Jose and $4,028 in Chelan, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $932 there versus $1,568 in Chelan, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in San Jose and $101 in Chelan, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,924 in San Jose and $2,685 in Chelan, WA. That’s a gap of about 40%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Chelan, WA at $2,685. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chelan, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Jose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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