Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Chone

For one person, living is cheaper in Chone: $732 a month against $1,938 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Chone
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Chone Living Index

Jump to prices

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Chone

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$732

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Chone

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,938 in San Jose versus $732 in Chone.

San Jose $1,938
Chone $732

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in San Jose versus $1,240 in Chone.

San Jose $2,936
Chone $1,240

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,934 in San Jose versus $1,748 in Chone.

San Jose $3,934
Chone $1,748

Living in San Jose is roughly 165% more expensive than in Chone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Jose is 44% above, Chone is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$3.77 $3.77

228.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$31.29 $31.29

94.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$5.91 $5.91

93.74%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$2.48 $2.48

77.02%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$0.86 $0.86

213.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$0.69 $0.69

179.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$2.07 $2.07

54.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$4.08 $4.08

8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.12 $1.12

117.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$1.52 $1.52

100.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$1.57 $1.57

53.50%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$2.00 $2.00

70.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$6.64 $6.64

61.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$4.55 $4.55

129.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$6.32 $6.32

121.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$1.55 $1.55

238.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$0.97 $0.97

63.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$1.04 $1.04

350.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$1.03 $1.03

283.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$1.13 $1.13

246.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$1.03 $1.03

257.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$0.71 $0.71

57.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.08 $1.08

195.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$5.01 $5.01

19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$8.56 $8.56

128.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$1.63 $1.63

73.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.76 $2.76

30.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$0.31 $0.31

261.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$17.28 $17.28

286.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$1.32 $1.32

89.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.23 $1.23

32.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$8.58 $8.58

-0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.86 $0.86

81.40%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$21.7K $21.7K

3.43%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$33.0K $33.0K

7.83%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$41.43 $41.43

129.83%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$13.59 $13.59

161.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$25.32 $25.32

131.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$33.32 $33.32

118.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

$15.43 $15.43

61.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$6.33 $6.33

19.75%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$207 $207

384.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$5,025 $5,025

240.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$55.5 $55.5

26.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$47.21 $47.21

18.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$109 $109

19.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$79.7 $79.7

64.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$319 $319

190.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$169 $169

359.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$788 $788

149.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$451 $451

185.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$1,272 $1,272

78.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$807 $807

126.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

10.05

-14.23%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chone: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Chone

$169 23.1% 78.2% $606

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Chone

$177 24.2% 55.8% $224

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Chone

$102 14% 55.4% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Chone

$80 11% 57.6% $109

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Chone

$131 17.9% 24.7% $43

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Chone

$46 6.3% 47.7% $42

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Chone

$26 3.6% 68.3% $56

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in San Jose and $319 in Chone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in San Jose vs $31.00 in Chone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $177 per month, with Chone cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇪🇨 Chone

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

21:56 9:56 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

44,751

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 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 October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose Chone 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Chone

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 Chone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chone wins on cost – living expenses run 165% lower than in San Jose. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,907 in San Jose and $1,097 in Chone to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $927 in San Jose versus $319 in Chone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,938 per month in San Jose versus $732 in Chone – a 165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chone runs roughly 287% less than in San Jose. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $732 in Chone versus $1,938 in San Jose, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chone but tight or insufficient in San Jose. The gap between the two cities makes Chone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $732 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chone hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Chone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in San Jose. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.