Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Elkhorn, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,421 in Elkhorn, WI, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Elkhorn, WI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Elkhorn, WI
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Elkhorn, WI Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Elkhorn, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,421

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Elkhorn, WI

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $2,421 in Elkhorn, WI, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Elkhorn, WI $2,421

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $3,426 in Elkhorn, WI, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Elkhorn, WI $3,426

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $4,430 in Elkhorn, WI, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Elkhorn, WI $4,430

San Jose is about 20% cheaper than Elkhorn, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both San Jose and Elkhorn, WI sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Elkhorn, WI by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$14.73 $14.73

-15.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$78.9 $78.9

-22.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$11.79 $11.79

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$4.16 $4.16

5.53%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.52 $2.52

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.46 $1.46

32.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$3.59 $3.59

-10.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$4.81 $4.81

-8.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$0.72 $0.72

238.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.79 $2.79

9.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$1.84 $1.84

30.98%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$4.68 $4.68

-27.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$9.70 $9.70

10.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$14.51 $14.51

-28.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$12.25 $12.25

14.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.84 $4.84

8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.26 $1.26

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$3.51 $3.51

33.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$4.26 $4.26

-7.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$2.63 $2.63

49.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.11 $2.11

74.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.93 $1.93

-41.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.97 $1.97

61.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$9.70 $9.70

-38.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$11.76 $11.76

66.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$2.52 $2.52

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.46 $2.46

45.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.05 $2.05

-45.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$3.26 $3.26

-23.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.42 $1.42

14.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$24.35 $24.35

-65.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.98 $0.98

59.18%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$36.2K $36.2K

-38.02%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$26.2K $26.2K

35.71%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$149 $149

-36.23%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$69.5 $69.5

-48.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$50.5 $50.5

16.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$44.68 $44.68

62.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$9.74 $9.74

-22.18%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$1,545 $1,545

-35.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$31.5K $31.5K

-45.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$50.5 $50.5

39.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$45.27 $45.27

23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$66.2 $66.2

95.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$94.8 $94.8

37.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,615 $1,615

-42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,356 $1,356

-42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$2,491 $2,491

-21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$1,967 $1,967

-34.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$2,650 $2,650

-14.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$2,078 $2,078

-11.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$3,841 $3,841

-73.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.75

27.70%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Elkhorn, WI: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Elkhorn, WI

$1.4K 56% 75.1% $582

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Elkhorn, WI

$351 14.5% 12.4% $50

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Elkhorn, WI

$247 10.2% 7.5% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Elkhorn, WI

$269 11.1% 42.2% $80

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Elkhorn, WI

$116 4.8% 33.6% $59

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Elkhorn, WI

$64 2.7% 26.9% $24

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Elkhorn, WI

$19 * 0.8% 77.4% $63

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $1,615 in Elkhorn, WI. 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 278% higher in Elkhorn, WI, 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 $79.0 in Elkhorn, WI. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in San Jose vs $351 in Elkhorn, WI – so Elkhorn, WI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Elkhorn, WI

🕒 Local time

16:59 4:59 PM

17:59 5:59 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

10,000

💱 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 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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San Jose Elkhorn, WI 3,670 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Elkhorn, WI

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 Elkhorn, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elkhorn, WI costs about 25% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $3,632 in Elkhorn, WI. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,938 in San Jose and $2,421 in Elkhorn, WI. That's a gap of about 25%.

Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in San Jose and $1,545 in Elkhorn, WI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Elkhorn, WI at $2,421. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elkhorn, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,938 versus $2,421 in Elkhorn, WI. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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