Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Ketchikan, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $2,868 in Ketchikan, AK, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ketchikan, AK outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
142

Cost of Living Index in Ketchikan, AK
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Ketchikan, AK Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Ketchikan, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,868

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Ketchikan, AK

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 Ketchikan, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,949 in San Jose versus $2,868 in Ketchikan, AK.

San Jose $1,949
Ketchikan, AK $2,868

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,903 in San Jose versus $3,913 in Ketchikan, AK.

San Jose $2,903
Ketchikan, AK $3,913

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,857 in San Jose versus $4,957 in Ketchikan, AK.

San Jose $3,857
Ketchikan, AK $4,957

Living in San Jose costs roughly 32% less than in Ketchikan, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 45% above, Ketchikan, AK 114% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,510

$19.96 $19.96

-38.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡27.1K

$74.6 $74.6

-19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 ₡5,305

$11.33 $11.33

3.88%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₡1,939

$5.39 $5.39

-20.22%

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

$2.72 ₡1,226

$2.61 $2.61

4.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡830

$1.96 $1.96

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,480

$5.89 $5.89

-44.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₡1,966

$7.44 $7.44

-41.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 ₡1,074

$1.01 $1.01

135.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,408

$3.53 $3.53

-11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,086

$4.43 $4.43

-45.60%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,564

$3.46 $3.46

0.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,767

$12.39 $12.39

-14.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₡4,758

$11.51 $11.51

-8.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,196

$16.90 $16.90

-18.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 ₡2,274

$4.95 $4.95

1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡727

$1.38 $1.38

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,069

$4.32 $4.32

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,731

$4.72 $4.72

-18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 ₡1,700

$2.71 $2.71

39.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,693

$3.11 $3.11

20.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡506

$2.20 $2.20

-49.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₡1,441

$1.92 $1.92

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 ₡2,632

$9.95 $9.95

-41.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 ₡8,897

$14.33 $14.33

37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,240

$2.17 $2.17

26.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₡1,650

$3.17 $3.17

15.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.06 $2.06

-45.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₡29.4K

$25.15 $25.15

158.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ₡1,110

$3.10 $3.10

-20.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡692

$1.79 $1.79

-13.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ₡3,815

$28.64 $28.64

-70.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

$1.26 $1.26

23.02%

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

$21.7K ₡9.8M

$36.2K $36.2K

-39.98%

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

$34.9K ₡15.7M

$26.3K $26.3K

32.61%

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

$94.7 ₡42.7K

$198 $198

-52.09%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$59.0 $59.0

-40.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.4K

$69.6 $69.6

-15.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 ₡32.5K

$41.86 $41.86

72.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 ₡11.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ₡3,532

$14.21 $14.21

-44.90%

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

$971 ₡437.9K

$1,374 $1,374

-29.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ₡7.7M

$22.8K $22.8K

-25.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.3K

$47.69 $47.69

50.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₡24.7K

$37.74 $37.74

45.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡58.2K

$76.8 $76.8

67.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡60.0K

$126 $126

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 ₡420.9K

$1,788 $1,788

-47.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡347.2K

$1,633 $1,633

-52.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 ₡876.7K

$2,367 $2,367

-17.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₡593.5K

$2,141 $2,141

-38.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 ₡1.0M

$2,751 $2,751

-17.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 ₡809.1K

$2,803 $2,803

-35.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 ₡453.5K

$4,455 $4,455

-77.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.57

31.20%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Last update for Ketchikan, AK: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$770 39.9%

Ketchikan, AK

$1.6K 56.1% 112% $863

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$399 20.7%

Ketchikan, AK

$388 13.3% 2.7% $11

Eating Out

San Jose

$228 11.8%

Ketchikan, AK

$321 11% 40.8% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$188 9.8%

Ketchikan, AK

$326 11.2% 73.2% $138

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$175 9.1%

Ketchikan, AK

$130 4.5% 25.8% $45

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Ketchikan, AK

$70 2.4% 20% $18

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.1%

Ketchikan, AK

$45 1.6% 43% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $934 in San Jose and $1,788 in Ketchikan, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ketchikan, AK pays 343% 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: $60.0 in San Jose vs $75.0 in Ketchikan, AK. Groceries flip the comparison at $399 vs $388, with Ketchikan, AK cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Ketchikan, AK

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

22:50 10:50 PM

2 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

8,200

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose Ketchikan, AK 6,520 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Ketchikan, AK

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 Ketchikan, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose and Ketchikan, AK differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,949 vs $2,868 including rent). San Jose is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 343% lower in Ketchikan, AK. 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: $934 in San Jose versus $1,788 in Ketchikan, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $971 in San Jose versus $1,374 in Ketchikan, AK. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ketchikan, AK pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,949 in San Jose versus $2,868 in Ketchikan, AK, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Ketchikan, AK. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, San Jose and Ketchikan, AK 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 San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Ketchikan, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.