Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Fort Walton Beach, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,162 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fort Walton Beach, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Fort Walton Beach, FL
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Fort Walton Beach, FL Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Fort Walton Beach, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,162

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Fort Walton Beach, FL

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 Fort Walton Beach, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $2,162 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Fort Walton Beach, FL $2,162

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $3,344 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Fort Walton Beach, FL $3,344

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $4,526 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Fort Walton Beach, FL $4,526

San Jose is about 10% cheaper than Fort Walton Beach, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Jose and Fort Walton Beach, FL sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Fort Walton Beach, FL by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$14.82 $14.82

-16.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$80.0 $80.0

-23.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$10.38 $10.38

10.31%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$4.92 $4.92

-10.77%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.62 $2.62

3.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$2.03 $2.03

-4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$4.89 $4.89

-34.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$7.05 $7.05

-37.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.03 $1.03

136.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.86 $2.86

6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$2.02 $2.02

19.31%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$3.02 $3.02

12.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$11.40 $11.40

-5.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$9.88 $9.88

5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$14.01 $14.01

-0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$3.55 $3.55

47.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.57 $1.57

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$3.24 $3.24

44.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$2.87 $2.87

37.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$1.43 $1.43

174.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.05 $2.05

79.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.75 $1.75

-36.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.51 $1.51

111.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$9.20 $9.20

-34.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$8.75 $8.75

123.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$1.85 $1.85

52.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.03 $2.03

76.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.03 $2.03

-44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$49.66 $49.66

34.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$6.14 $6.14

-59.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.82 $1.82

-10.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$45.52 $45.52

-81.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.95 $0.95

64.21%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$26.6K $26.6K

-15.76%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$25.2K $25.2K

41.05%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$171 $171

-44.38%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$49.37 $49.37

-27.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$64.5 $64.5

-9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$46.91 $46.91

54.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$13.39 $13.39

-43.39%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$826 $826

21.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$13.5K $13.5K

26.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$30.36 $30.36

132.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$19.91 $19.91

180.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$95.8 $95.8

35.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$105 $105

24.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,643 $1,643

-43.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,048 $1,048

-26.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$2,842 $2,842

-30.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$2,008 $2,008

-35.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$4,773 $4,773

-52.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$5,105 $5,105

-64.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$3,269 $3,269

-68.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.42

34.27%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Fort Walton Beach, FL: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$1K 48.5% 35.4% $274

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$304 14% 24.3% $97

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$266 12.3% 16% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$285 13.2% 50.5% $96

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$113 5.2% 35.1% $61

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$74 3.4% 16.1% $14

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$73 3.4% 10.9% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $1,643 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. 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 222% higher in Fort Walton Beach, FL, 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 $80.0 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in San Jose vs $304 in Fort Walton Beach, FL – so Fort Walton Beach, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Fort Walton Beach, FL

🕒 Local time

15:13 3:13 PM

16:13 4:13 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

19,507

💱 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 Fort Walton Beach, FL 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Fort Walton Beach, FL

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 Fort Walton Beach, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,938 in San Jose, $2,162 in Fort Walton Beach, FL – roughly 12% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $3,244 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Fort Walton Beach, FL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose and $80.0 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Fort Walton Beach, FL at $2,162. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Walton Beach, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,938 in San Jose to $2,162 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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