Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Franklin, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $3,159 in Franklin, TN, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Franklin, TN
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Franklin, TN Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Franklin, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$3,159

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Franklin, TN

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $3,159 in Franklin, TN, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Franklin, TN $3,159

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $4,404 in Franklin, TN, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Franklin, TN $4,404

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $5,649 in Franklin, TN, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Franklin, TN $5,649

San Jose is about 39% cheaper than Franklin, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Franklin, TN sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Franklin, TN by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$23.93 $23.93

-48.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$87.0 $87.0

-30.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$11.89 $11.89

-3.70%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$7.10 $7.10

-38.17%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$3.34 $3.34

-19.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$2.29 $2.29

-15.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$7.47 $7.47

-57.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$8.05 $8.05

-45.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.34 $1.34

82.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$3.85 $3.85

-20.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$5.58 $5.58

-39.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$15.59 $15.59

-31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$17.82 $17.82

-41.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$3.76 $3.76

39.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$2.00 $2.00

-20.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$2.01 $2.01

95.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.19 $2.19

68.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.44 $2.44

-54.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$12.95 $12.95

51.04%

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

$1.01 $1.01

10.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.85 $0.85

83.53%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$214 $214

-55.60%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$115 $115

-69.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$91.0 $91.0

-35.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$44.10 $44.10

64.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$15.91 $15.91

-52.36%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$395 $395

153.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$101 $101

-30.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$64.8 $64.8

-13.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$75.2 $75.2

72.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$110 $110

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$2,060 $2,060

-54.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,826 $1,826

-57.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$3,544 $3,544

-44.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$2,705 $2,705

-52.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$2,825 $2,825

-19.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$2,801 $2,801

-34.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$5,994 $5,994

-83.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.59

30.80%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Franklin, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Franklin, TN

$1.8K 57.8% 136% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Franklin, TN

$287 * 9.1% 28.4% $114

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Franklin, TN

$388 12.3% 69.3% $159

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Franklin, TN

$421 13.3% 122% $231

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Franklin, TN

$158 5% 9.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Franklin, TN

$76 2.4% 13.6% $12

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Franklin, TN

$4.1 * 0.1% 95.1% $78

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 $2,060 in Franklin, TN. 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 490% higher in Franklin, TN, 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 $87.0 in Franklin, TN. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in San Jose vs $287 in Franklin, TN – so Franklin, TN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Franklin, TN

🕒 Local time

18:57 6:57 PM

19:57 7:57 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

83,454

💱 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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Highest

Between locations

San Jose Franklin, TN 2,900 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Franklin, TN

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 Franklin, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,938 in San Jose, $3,159 in Franklin, TN – roughly 63% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $4,739 in Franklin, TN. 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 $3,159 in Franklin, TN. That's a gap of about 63%.

Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in San Jose and $395 in Franklin, TN. 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 Franklin, TN at $3,159. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Franklin, TN 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 $3,159 in Franklin, TN. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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