Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,938 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $882 in David, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
David $882

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $946 in David, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
David $946

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $1,011 in David, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
David $1,011

San Jose costs about 120% more than David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

San Jose sits 44% above the global median, while David is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$5.52 PAB 5.52

124.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$37.03 PAB 37.03

64.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$7.27 PAB 7.27

57.50%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$3.13 PAB 3.13

40.26%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$1.47 PAB 1.47

83.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.52 PAB 1.52

26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$1.99 PAB 1.99

60.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$2.72 PAB 2.72

62.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.73 PAB 1.73

41.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.26 PAB 2.26

34.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$2.46 PAB 2.46

-2.03%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$2.41 PAB 2.41

41.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.99 PAB 1.99

-43.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$10.18 PAB 10.18

92.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$0.76 PAB 0.76

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$2.96 PAB 2.96

-15.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$2.04 PAB 2.04

-20.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.07 PAB 1.07

45.79%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

-10.23%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

16.47%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$184 PAB 184

-48.16%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$28.48 PAB 28.48

24.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$49.40 PAB 49.40

18.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$31.21 PAB 31.21

132.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$6,091 PAB 6,091

181.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$343 PAB 343

169.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$354 PAB 354

118.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$604 PAB 604

68.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

23.14%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

David

–

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

David

–

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $343 in David. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 68% higher in San Jose, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose versus $37.00 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $88.0 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

07:27 7:27 AM

08:27 8:27 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

82,907

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, 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).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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San Jose David 250 km

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David

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 120%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $1,323 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 357% more in San Jose, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose and $37.00 in David. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $882, than in San Jose at $1,938. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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