Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Green Bay, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,122 in Green Bay, WI, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Green Bay, WI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,938
/mo nomad
Green Bay, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,122
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Green Bay, 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 Green Bay, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,122 in Green Bay, WI.

  • San Jose $1,938
  • Green Bay, WI $2,122

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in San Jose versus $2,957 in Green Bay, WI.

  • San Jose $2,936
  • Green Bay, WI $2,957

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,934 in San Jose versus $3,792 in Green Bay, WI.

  • San Jose $3,934
  • Green Bay, WI $3,792

Living in San Jose costs roughly 9% less than in Green Bay, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 44% above, Green Bay, WI 57% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.38 ₡5,551
$14.17 $14.17
-12.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9 ₡27.3K
$59.6 $59.6
2.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.45 ₡5,135
$8.71 $8.71
31.46%
Cappuccino
$4.39 ₡1,967
$5.47 $5.47
-19.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₡1,211
$2.55 $2.55
5.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 ₡864
$1.87 $1.87
3.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.20 ₡1,433
$4.05 $4.05
-20.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 ₡1,979
$5.86 $5.86
-24.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 ₡1,093
$0.81 $0.81
201.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 ₡1,369
$2.73 $2.73
11.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.41 ₡1,081
$5.05 $5.05
-52.28%
Eggs
$3.40 ₡1,523
$3.62 $3.62
-6.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.75 ₡4,823
$13.09 $13.09
-17.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.43 ₡4,679
$10.61 $10.61
-1.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 ₡6,273
$10.25 $10.25
36.49%
Apples (1kg)
$5.25 ₡2,353
$4.91 $4.91
6.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 ₡712
$1.66 $1.66
-4.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.69 ₡2,103
$3.91 $3.91
19.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.95 ₡1,770
$4.33 $4.33
-8.78%
Potato (1kg)
$3.92 ₡1,760
$2.13 $2.13
84.04%
Onion (1kg)
$3.68 ₡1,651
$3.33 $3.33
10.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ₡503
$2.03 $2.03
-44.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.19 ₡1,429
$2.06 $2.06
54.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.00 ₡2,692
$9.98 $9.98
-39.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.56 ₡8,771
$19.69 $19.69
-0.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 ₡1,263
$2.04 $2.04
38.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 ₡1,611
$3.80 $3.80
-5.53%
🚌 Getting Around
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡503
$1.98 $1.98
-43.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.8 ₡30.0K
$39.86 $39.86
67.56%
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
$0.98 $0.98
59.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.4K ₡10.0M
$35.9K $35.9K
-37.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6K ₡16.0M
$25.4K $25.4K
40.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡42.7K
$175 $175
-45.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.58 ₡16.0K
$39.94 $39.94
-10.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6 ₡26.3K
$51.5 $51.5
13.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.7 ₡32.6K
$53.2 $53.2
36.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.85 ₡11.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.58 ₡3,401
$11.80 $11.80
-35.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,001 ₡449.0K
$1,491 $1,491
-32.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K ₡7.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.5 ₡31.6K
$55.7 $55.7
26.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.0K
$34.50 $34.50
61.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 ₡58.2K
$89.0 $89.0
45.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 ₡58.7K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$927 ₡415.8K
$1,373 $1,373
-32.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$774 ₡347.2K
$1,027 $1,027
-24.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,967 ₡882.0K
$2,064 $2,064
-4.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 ₡577.6K
$1,417 $1,417
-9.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,274 ₡1.0M
$2,484 $2,484
-8.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,831 ₡821.0K
$2,329 $2,329
-21.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Jose
Green Bay, WI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,016 ₡455.8K
$3,524 $3,524
-71.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.38
35.11%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Green Bay, WI: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Jose
$774
Green Bay, WI
$1K 32.6% $253
Groceries & Markets
San Jose
$401
Green Bay, WI
$368 8.2% $33
Eating Out
San Jose
$229
Green Bay, WI
$255 11.1% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
$189
Green Bay, WI
$267 40.9% $78
Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
$174
Green Bay, WI
$81 * 53.7% $93
Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
$88
Green Bay, WI
$77 12.5% $11
Getting Around
San Jose
$82
Green Bay, WI
$48 * 41.7% $34

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in San Jose and $1,373 in Green Bay, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Green Bay, WI pays 247% 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 $60.0 in Green Bay, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $368 per month, with Green Bay, WI cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 San Jose
🇺🇸 Green Bay, WI
🕒 Local time
16:29 4:29 PM
17:29 5:29 PM
1 h ahead of San Jose
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
342,188 Capital
101,412
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Jose Green Bay, WI 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Jose
  • Green Bay, 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 Green Bay, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Green Bay, WI cheaper than San Jose?
San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in eating out. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: San Jose or Green Bay, WI?
On paper, salaries run 247% lower in Green Bay, WI. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between San Jose and Green Bay, WI?
Rent for a central apartment: $927 in San Jose versus $1,373 in Green Bay, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in San Jose and in Green Bay, WI?
All in, you'll spend $1,938 per month in San Jose versus $2,122 in Green Bay, WI – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in San Jose runs roughly 68% less than in Green Bay, WI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in San Jose or in Green Bay, WI?
At $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,122 in Green Bay, WI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Green Bay, WI. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is San Jose or Green Bay, WI more family-friendly?
For families, San Jose is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Green Bay, WI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Green Bay, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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