Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Duncan BC

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,112 in Duncan BC, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Duncan BC outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Duncan BC
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Duncan BC Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Duncan BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,112

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Duncan BC

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,112 in Duncan BC.

San Jose $1,938
Duncan BC $2,112

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in San Jose versus $3,371 in Duncan BC.

San Jose $2,936
Duncan BC $3,371

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,934 in San Jose versus $4,630 in Duncan BC.

San Jose $3,934
Duncan BC $4,630

Living in San Jose costs roughly 8% less than in Duncan BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 44% above, Duncan BC 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$17.26 CA$24.40

-28.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$69.2 CA$97.8

-12.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$10.57 CA$14.95

8.33%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$4.06 CA$5.73

8.13%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.13 CA$3.01

26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.67 CA$2.36

15.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$5.40 CA$7.63

-40.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$5.52 CA$7.80

-20.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.56 CA$2.20

56.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.60 CA$3.68

17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$4.35 CA$6.15

-44.60%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$4.04 CA$5.71

-15.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$11.99 CA$16.95

-10.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$13.34 CA$18.85

-21.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$14.24 CA$20.13

-1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.02 CA$5.69

30.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.31 CA$1.85

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$3.77 CA$5.33

24.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$3.90 CA$5.52

1.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$2.71 CA$3.83

44.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.81 CA$3.97

30.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.54 CA$3.58

-55.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.57 CA$2.22

103.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$13.78 CA$19.49

-56.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$11.71 CA$16.56

67.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$2.64 CA$3.73

6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.96 CA$4.19

21.28%

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

$58.7 CA$83.0

13.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$2.70 CA$3.82

-7.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.58 CA$2.24

3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$30.64 CA$43.32

-72.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.25 CA$1.76

24.80%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$25.4K CA$35.9K

-11.84%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$19.7K CA$27.8K

80.72%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$82.6 CA$117

15.25%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$36.70 CA$51.9

-3.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$50.9 CA$72.0

15.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$59.4 CA$84.0

22.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$12.41 CA$17.54

-38.92%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$1,032 CA$1,459

-2.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$9,936 CA$14.0K

72.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$56.5 CA$79.8

24.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$32.64 CA$46.14

71.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$93.9 CA$133

38.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$94.3 CA$133

38.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,214 CA$1,716

-23.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,015 CA$1,435

-23.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$2,261 CA$3,196

-13.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$2,080 CA$2,940

-38.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$4,345 CA$6,142

-47.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$3,513 CA$4,967

-47.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$3,075 CA$4,347

-66.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.28

101.40%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Duncan BC

$1K 48.1% 31.1% $241

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Duncan BC

$368 17.4% 8.2% $33

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Duncan BC

$272 12.9% 18.5% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Duncan BC

$170 8.1% 10.1% $19

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Duncan BC

$125 5.9% 28.3% $49

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Duncan BC

$84 4% 4.1% $3.6

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Duncan BC

$77 3.7% 5.7% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in San Jose and $1,214 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 203% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in San Jose vs $69.0 in Duncan BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $368, with Duncan BC cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇨🇦 Duncan BC

🕒 Local time

13:51 1:51 PM

12:51 12:51 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

22,199

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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 Duncan BC 5,670 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Duncan BC

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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in eating out. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 203% lower in Duncan BC. 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: $927 in San Jose versus $1,214 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Duncan BC pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $69.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,112 in Duncan BC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.