Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Jefferson City, MO

For one person, living costs are similar in San Jose and in Jefferson City, MO: $1,924 and $1,858 a month, rent and utilities included.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Jefferson City, MO
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Jefferson City, MO Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Jefferson City, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$1,858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,924 in San Jose versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO.

San Jose $1,924
Jefferson City, MO $1,858

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,926 in San Jose versus $2,890 in Jefferson City, MO.

San Jose $2,926
Jefferson City, MO $2,890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,929 in San Jose versus $3,922 in Jefferson City, MO.

San Jose $3,929
Jefferson City, MO $3,922

Living in San Jose is roughly 4% more expensive than in Jefferson City, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 42% above, Jefferson City, MO 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 ₡5,513

$14.97 $14.97

-17.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡27.9K

$39.52 $39.52

57.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 ₡5,171

$9.98 $9.98

15.53%

Cappuccino

$4.35 ₡1,953

$5.49 $5.49

-20.77%

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

$2.64 ₡1,183

$2.04 $2.04

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡836

$2.21 $2.21

-15.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,490

$5.39 $5.39

-38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₡2,026

$6.34 $6.34

-28.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,073

$0.91 $0.91

162.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,381

$3.26 $3.26

-5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$4.44 $4.44

-43.69%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,562

$4.26 $4.26

-18.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,815

$4.39 $4.39

144.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,629

$9.71 $9.71

6.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,325

$13.38 $13.38

5.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 ₡2,256

$4.31 $4.31

16.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡714

$1.61 $1.61

-1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ₡2,171

$4.36 $4.36

11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,776

$4.28 $4.28

-7.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,684

$3.21 $3.21

17.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$3.33 $3.33

12.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡485

$2.42 $2.42

-55.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,456

$1.96 $1.96

65.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,627

$7.97 $7.97

-26.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 ₡9,095

$12.74 $12.74

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.94 $1.94

49.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₡1,673

$3.83 $3.83

-2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

$3.08 $3.08

-64.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,123

$2.43 $2.43

2.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡732

$1.20 $1.20

35.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 ₡3,904

$60.8 $60.8

-85.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡709

$0.86 $0.86

83.72%

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

$33.6K ₡15.1M

$35.7K $35.7K

-5.83%

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

$41.7K ₡18.7M

$25.4K $25.4K

63.95%

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

$93.7 ₡42.0K

$204 $204

-54.19%

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

$35.42 ₡15.9K

$65.7 $65.7

-46.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$69.8 $69.8

-14.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 ₡3,471

$15.12 $15.12

-48.81%

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

$1,005 ₡450.9K

$1,197 $1,197

-16.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

$21.2K $21.2K

-20.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ₡32.8K

$50.3 $50.3

45.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$42.76 $42.76

29.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.5K

$104 $104

23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.5K

$126 $126

3.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡418.0K

$887 $887

5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡340.8K

$709 $709

7.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡862.0K

$1,774 $1,774

8.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡572.1K

$1,564 $1,564

-18.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

$1,537 $1,537

49.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

$1,743 $1,743

5.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

$1,915 $1,915

-46.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.56

31.40%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$760 39.5%

Jefferson City, MO

$709 38.2% 6.7% $51

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 21%

Jefferson City, MO

$341 18.3% 15.5% $62

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.9%

Jefferson City, MO

$272 14.7% 18.9% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Jefferson City, MO

$340 18.3% 79.8% $151

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9.1%

Jefferson City, MO

$145 7.8% 16.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Jefferson City, MO

$30 * 1.6% 65.7% $58

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.2%

Jefferson City, MO

$21 * 1.1% 74.2% $60

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 $932 in San Jose and $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jefferson City, MO pays 86% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in San Jose vs $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $341 per month, with Jefferson City, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Jefferson City, MO

🕒 Local time

09:22 9:22 AM

10:22 10:22 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

43,079

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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 Jefferson City, MO 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jefferson City, MO is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Jefferson City, MO. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $932 in San Jose versus $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,005 in San Jose versus $1,197 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jefferson City, MO – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $62.0 in San Jose. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO versus $1,924 in San Jose, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Jefferson City, MO but tight or insufficient in San Jose. The gap between the two cities makes Jefferson City, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jefferson City, MO is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Jose, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Jose and Jefferson City, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jefferson City, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in San Jose. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.