Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Dawson City

For one person, living costs are similar in San Jose and in Dawson City: $1,938 and $1,888 a month, rent and utilities included.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Dawson City
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Dawson City Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Dawson City

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,888

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Dawson City

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $1,888 in Dawson City, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Dawson City $1,888

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $3,267 in Dawson City, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Dawson City $3,267

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $4,647 in Dawson City, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Dawson City $4,647

San Jose costs about 3% more than Dawson City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Dawson City sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Dawson City by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$24.14 CA$34.12

-48.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$102 CA$144

-40.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$10.41 CA$14.71

9.99%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$3.74 CA$5.29

17.38%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$1.78 CA$2.52

51.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.57 CA$2.22

22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$5.19 CA$7.34

-38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$5.55 CA$7.84

-20.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$2.62 CA$3.70

-6.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$4.11 CA$5.81

-25.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$4.95 CA$6.99

-51.31%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$5.00 CA$7.06

-32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$9.66 CA$13.66

11.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$14.61 CA$20.65

-28.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$14.38 CA$20.33

-2.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.00 CA$5.65

31.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.48 CA$2.09

7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$3.95 CA$5.59

18.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$4.06 CA$5.73

-2.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$2.43 CA$3.43

61.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.21 CA$3.12

66.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.42 CA$3.42

-53.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.55 CA$2.19

105.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$14.27 CA$20.17

-57.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$12.76 CA$18.05

53.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$2.52 CA$3.57

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.97 CA$4.20

20.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.98 CA$2.80

-43.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$61.4 CA$86.8

8.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$3.23 CA$4.57

-22.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.64 CA$2.32

-0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$23.68 CA$33.48

-64.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.18 CA$1.67

32.20%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$27.9K CA$39.5K

-19.78%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$18.0K CA$25.5K

97.43%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$136 CA$193

-30.19%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$37.51 CA$53.0

-5.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$53.3 CA$75.4

9.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$41.06 CA$58.1

76.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

$17.56 CA$24.82

41.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$12.54 CA$17.73

-39.55%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$848 CA$1,199

18.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$12.6K CA$17.8K

36.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$63.2 CA$89.4

11.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$37.70 CA$53.3

48.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$66.3 CA$93.7

95.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$100 CA$142

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,224 CA$1,730

-24.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$672 CA$951

15.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$1,931 CA$2,729

1.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$1,710 CA$2,418

-24.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$4,427 CA$6,258

-48.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$3,172 CA$4,484

-42.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$2,819 CA$3,986

-63.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.66

84.98%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dawson City: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Dawson City

$672 35.6% 13.2% $102

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Dawson City

$401 21.3% 0.1% $0.2

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Dawson City

$320 16.9% 39.4% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Dawson City

$227 12% 20% $38

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Dawson City

$120 6.4% 30.8% $54

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Dawson City

$66 3.5% 24.7% $22

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Dawson City

$81 4.3% 1.5% $1.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $1,224 in Dawson City. 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 177% higher in Dawson City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose versus $102 in Dawson City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $401 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇨🇦 Dawson City

🕒 Local time

15:11 3:11 PM

14:11 2:11 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

1,375

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, 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).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose Dawson City 7,390 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Dawson City

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 Dawson City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $2,832 in Dawson City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in San Jose and $848 in Dawson City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in San Jose – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dawson City, where all-in costs run around $1,888, than in San Jose at $1,938. In Dawson City it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dawson City – 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 Dawson City. 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.