Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Grand Falls-Windsor

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,446 in Grand Falls-Windsor, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Grand Falls-Windsor outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Grand Falls-Windsor
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Grand Falls-Windsor Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Grand Falls-Windsor

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,446

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Grand Falls-Windsor

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 Grand Falls-Windsor actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,107 per month in San Jose vs $2,446 in Grand Falls-Windsor, rent included.

San Jose $2,107
Grand Falls-Windsor $2,446

A couple spends around $3,081 per month in San Jose vs $3,274 in Grand Falls-Windsor, rent included.

San Jose $3,081
Grand Falls-Windsor $3,274

A family of three spends $4,054 per month in San Jose vs $4,102 in Grand Falls-Windsor, rent included.

San Jose $4,054
Grand Falls-Windsor $4,102

San Jose is about 14% cheaper than Grand Falls-Windsor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Grand Falls-Windsor sit above the global median – San Jose by 56%, Grand Falls-Windsor by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.37 ₡5,563

$18.10 CA$25.45

-31.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 ₡28.0K

$71.1 CA$100.0

-12.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 ₡5,264

$11.99 CA$16.86

-2.34%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$3.75 CA$5.27

21.07%

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

$2.75 ₡1,238

$2.22 CA$3.12

23.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡837

$1.86 CA$2.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,505

$5.60 CA$7.88

-40.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,944

$6.14 CA$8.64

-29.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₡1,061

$1.83 CA$2.57

28.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₡1,379

$2.63 CA$3.70

16.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,128

$3.68 CA$5.18

-31.79%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$3.75 CA$5.27

-5.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 ₡4,738

$11.15 CA$15.68

-5.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,754

$10.85 CA$15.25

-2.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,261

$16.15 CA$22.71

-13.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 ₡2,338

$4.34 CA$6.11

19.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡740

$1.37 CA$1.92

20.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 ₡2,198

$3.27 CA$4.59

49.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,728

$3.76 CA$5.29

2.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,757

$2.37 CA$3.34

64.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,692

$2.23 CA$3.14

68.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.36 CA$3.32

-52.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₡1,447

$1.77 CA$2.48

81.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 ₡2,706

$15.97 CA$22.46

-62.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.84 ₡8,919

$12.88 CA$18.11

54.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,264

$2.58 CA$3.63

8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ₡1,643

$3.19 CA$4.49

14.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡487

$2.60 CA$3.65

-58.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₡29.3K

$68.5 CA$96.4

-4.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$2.92 CA$4.10

-22.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡799

$1.69 CA$2.38

5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ₡3,551

$27.55 CA$38.75

-71.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡673

$1.23 CA$1.73

21.95%

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

$33.5K ₡15.1M

$27.5K CA$38.7K

21.61%

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

$42.3K ₡19.0M

$18.8K CA$26.5K

124.61%

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

$93.2 ₡41.9K

$136 CA$191

-31.24%

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

$36.13 ₡16.2K

$37.93 CA$53.4

-4.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$58.0 CA$81.6

4.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 ₡31.0K

$34.80 CA$48.94

98.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

$16.67 CA$23.45

49.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ₡3,449

$11.59 CA$16.30

-33.82%

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

$972 ₡436.9K

$713 CA$1,003

36.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K ₡8.5M

$12.6K CA$17.7K

49.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 ₡31.8K

$57.4 CA$80.8

22.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 ₡25.5K

$35.70 CA$50.2

58.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.8K

$81.9 CA$115

57.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$107 CA$151

21.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 ₡525.9K

$1,239 CA$1,742

-5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 ₡424.1K

$1,297 CA$1,824

-27.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ₡892.0K

$1,975 CA$2,777

0.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 ₡629.5K

$1,485 CA$2,088

-5.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₡1.2M

$4,640 CA$6,525

-42.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,037 ₡915.8K

$3,168 CA$4,455

-35.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 ₡443.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.68

84.19%

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

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Last update for Grand Falls-Windsor: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$943 44.8%

Grand Falls-Windsor

$1.3K 53% 37.5% $354

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 19.1%

Grand Falls-Windsor

$359 14.7% 10.7% $43

Eating Out

San Jose

$232 11%

Grand Falls-Windsor

$282 11.5% 21.5% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$190 9%

Grand Falls-Windsor

$231 9.5% 21.9% $42

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 8.3%

Grand Falls-Windsor

$127 5.2% 27% $47

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$84 4%

Grand Falls-Windsor

$58 2.4% 31.2% $26

Getting Around

San Jose

$81 3.8%

Grand Falls-Windsor

$90 3.7% 11.9% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,170 in San Jose versus $1,239 in Grand Falls-Windsor. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in San Jose versus $71 in Grand Falls-Windsor. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in San Jose vs $359 in Grand Falls-Windsor – so Grand Falls-Windsor wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇨🇦 Grand Falls-Windsor

🕒 Local time

11:43 11:43 AM

14:13 2:13 PM

2 h 30 min ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

13,725

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CAD = 0.711 USD

1 CAD = 0.633 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 November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 CAD (1 CAD = 0.633 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Jose Grand Falls-Windsor 5,080 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Grand Falls-Windsor

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 Grand Falls-Windsor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Grand Falls-Windsor is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,161 per month in San Jose and $3,669 in Grand Falls-Windsor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,170 in San Jose and $1,239 in Grand Falls-Windsor. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Public transport costs about 5% less in San Jose. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $972 per month in San Jose and $713 in Grand Falls-Windsor. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,107 in San Jose to $2,446 in Grand Falls-Windsor. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.