Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Lawrence, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $2,242 in Lawrence, KS, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Lawrence, KS
Learn more

Lawrence, KS Living Index

Jump to prices

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Lawrence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,242

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Lawrence, KS

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 Lawrence, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,949 per month in San Jose vs $2,242 in Lawrence, KS, rent included.

San Jose $1,949
Lawrence, KS $2,242

A couple spends around $2,903 per month in San Jose vs $3,313 in Lawrence, KS, rent included.

San Jose $2,903
Lawrence, KS $3,313

A family of three spends $3,857 per month in San Jose vs $4,383 in Lawrence, KS, rent included.

San Jose $3,857
Lawrence, KS $4,383

San Jose is about 13% cheaper than Lawrence, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both San Jose and Lawrence, KS sit above the global median – San Jose by 45%, Lawrence, KS by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,510

$15.03 $15.03

-18.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡27.1K

$75.6 $75.6

-20.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 ₡5,305

$10.97 $10.97

7.29%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₡1,939

$5.08 $5.08

-15.35%

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

$2.72 ₡1,226

$2.50 $2.50

8.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡830

$1.82 $1.82

1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,480

$5.88 $5.88

-44.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₡1,966

$7.37 $7.37

-40.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 ₡1,074

$0.83 $0.83

186.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,408

$3.13 $3.13

-0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,086

$4.31 $4.31

-44.08%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,564

$3.91 $3.91

-11.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,767

$11.06 $11.06

-4.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₡4,758

$12.67 $12.67

-16.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,196

$16.68 $16.68

-17.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 ₡2,274

$5.41 $5.41

-6.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡727

$2.11 $2.11

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,069

$4.92 $4.92

-6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,731

$4.13 $4.13

-7.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 ₡1,700

$1.80 $1.80

109.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,693

$2.96 $2.96

27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡506

$1.69 $1.69

-33.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₡1,441

$2.82 $2.82

13.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 ₡2,632

$7.06 $7.06

-17.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 ₡8,897

$14.16 $14.16

39.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,240

$1.75 $1.75

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₡1,650

$1.66 $1.66

120.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ₡1,110

$2.96 $2.96

-16.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡692

$1.36 $1.36

13.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ₡3,815

$25.50 $25.50

-66.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

$0.94 $0.94

64.89%

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

$21.7K ₡9.8M

$22.6K $22.6K

-4.10%

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

$34.9K ₡15.7M

$24.1K $24.1K

44.88%

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

$94.7 ₡42.7K

$279 $279

-66.01%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$63.7 $63.7

-44.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.4K

$64.5 $64.5

-9.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 ₡32.5K

$44.86 $44.86

60.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 ₡11.4K

$12.06 $12.06

108.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ₡3,532

$12.24 $12.24

-36.03%

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

$971 ₡437.9K

$992 $992

-2.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ₡7.7M

$19.4K $19.4K

-12.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.3K

$51.8 $51.8

38.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₡24.7K

$39.24 $39.24

39.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡58.2K

$79.4 $79.4

62.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡60.0K

$102 $102

30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 ₡420.9K

$1,191 $1,191

-21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡347.2K

$907 $907

-15.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 ₡876.7K

$1,944 $1,944

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₡593.5K

$1,665 $1,665

-20.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 ₡1.0M

$2,365 $2,365

-3.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 ₡809.1K

$2,112 $2,112

-15.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 ₡453.5K

$3,805 $3,805

-73.56%

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 Lawrence, KS: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$770 39.9%

Lawrence, KS

$907 41.6% 17.8% $137

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$399 20.7%

Lawrence, KS

$391 17.9% 1.9% $7.6

Eating Out

San Jose

$228 11.8%

Lawrence, KS

$275 12.6% 20.8% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$188 9.8%

Lawrence, KS

$407 18.6% 116% $218

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$175 9.1%

Lawrence, KS

$123 5.6% 29.9% $52

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Lawrence, KS

$69 3.2% 21.1% $19

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.1%

Lawrence, KS

$9.7 * 0.5% 87.8% $70

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $934 in San Jose versus $1,191 in Lawrence, KS. 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 278% higher in Lawrence, KS, 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 $60.0 in San Jose versus $76.0 in Lawrence, KS. Groceries tell a different story – $399 in San Jose vs $391 in Lawrence, KS – so Lawrence, KS wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Lawrence, KS

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

04:42 4:42 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

95,358

💱 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 11, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Jose Lawrence, KS 3,410 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Lawrence, KS

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 Lawrence, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lawrence, KS costs about 15% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,924 per month in San Jose and $3,363 in Lawrence, KS. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in San Jose and $76.0 in Lawrence, KS. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Lawrence, KS – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Lawrence, KS at $2,242. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lawrence, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,949 versus $2,242 in Lawrence, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lawrence, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.