Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Little Rock, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $2,137 in Little Rock, AR, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Little Rock, AR outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Little Rock, AR
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Little Rock, AR Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,137

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Little Rock, AR

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 Little Rock, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,949 per month in San Jose vs $2,137 in Little Rock, AR, rent included.

San Jose $1,949
Little Rock, AR $2,137

A couple spends around $2,903 per month in San Jose vs $3,103 in Little Rock, AR, rent included.

San Jose $2,903
Little Rock, AR $3,103

A family of three spends $3,857 per month in San Jose vs $4,069 in Little Rock, AR, rent included.

San Jose $3,857
Little Rock, AR $4,069

San Jose is about 9% cheaper than Little Rock, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Little Rock, AR sit above the global median – San Jose by 45%, Little Rock, AR by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,510

$17.18 $17.18

-28.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡27.1K

$73.9 $73.9

-18.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 ₡5,305

$10.84 $10.84

8.58%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₡1,939

$5.15 $5.15

-16.50%

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

$2.72 ₡1,226

$2.94 $2.94

-7.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡830

$2.43 $2.43

-24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,480

$5.54 $5.54

-40.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₡1,966

$6.41 $6.41

-31.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 ₡1,074

$1.10 $1.10

116.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,408

$2.69 $2.69

15.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,086

$2.82 $2.82

-14.54%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,564

$3.39 $3.39

2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,767

$10.15 $10.15

4.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₡4,758

$11.70 $11.70

-9.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,196

$22.86 $22.86

-39.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 ₡2,274

$5.03 $5.03

0.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡727

$1.47 $1.47

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,069

$4.42 $4.42

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,731

$3.77 $3.77

1.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 ₡1,700

$2.72 $2.72

38.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,693

$2.57 $2.57

46.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡506

$1.94 $1.94

-42.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₡1,441

$1.93 $1.93

65.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 ₡2,632

$9.74 $9.74

-40.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 ₡8,897

$13.47 $13.47

46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,240

$1.77 $1.77

55.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₡1,650

$1.70 $1.70

115.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.36 $1.36

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₡29.4K

$35.95 $35.95

81.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ₡1,110

$2.54 $2.54

-3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡692

$1.48 $1.48

4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ₡3,815

$24.22 $24.22

-65.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

$0.90 $0.90

72.22%

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

$21.7K ₡9.8M

$37.4K $37.4K

-41.97%

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

$34.9K ₡15.7M

$26.2K $26.2K

33.19%

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

$94.7 ₡42.7K

$218 $218

-56.50%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$59.9 $59.9

-41.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.4K

$68.3 $68.3

-14.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 ₡32.5K

$29.12 $29.12

147.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 ₡11.4K

$13.94 $13.94

80.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ₡3,532

$12.76 $12.76

-38.64%

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

$971 ₡437.9K

$1,014 $1,014

-4.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ₡7.7M

$18.9K $18.9K

-9.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.3K

$50.8 $50.8

40.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₡24.7K

$39.52 $39.52

38.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡58.2K

$83.8 $83.8

53.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡60.0K

$147 $147

-9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 ₡420.9K

$1,132 $1,132

-17.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡347.2K

$874 $874

-11.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 ₡876.7K

$1,577 $1,577

23.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₡593.5K

$1,282 $1,282

2.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 ₡1.0M

$1,870 $1,870

21.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 ₡809.1K

$1,335 $1,335

34.46%

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

6.75

27.70%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Last update for Little Rock, AR: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$770 39.9%

Little Rock, AR

$874 40.9% 13.5% $104

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$399 20.7%

Little Rock, AR

$374 17.5% 6.2% $25

Eating Out

San Jose

$228 11.8%

Little Rock, AR

$294 13.7% 28.8% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$188 9.8%

Little Rock, AR

$346 16.2% 83.6% $157

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$175 9.1%

Little Rock, AR

$145 6.8% 17.3% $30

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Little Rock, AR

$55 2.6% 37.8% $33

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.1%

Little Rock, AR

$51 2.4% 35.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $934 in San Jose versus $1,132 in Little Rock, AR. 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 Little Rock, AR, 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 $74.0 in Little Rock, AR. Groceries tell a different story – $399 in San Jose vs $374 in Little Rock, AR – so Little Rock, AR wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Little Rock, AR

🕒 Local time

07:03 7:03 AM

08:03 8:03 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

202,591

💱 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 = 505 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 Little Rock, AR 2,880 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Little Rock, AR

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 Little Rock, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,949 in San Jose, $2,137 in Little Rock, AR – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,924 per month in San Jose and $3,205 in Little Rock, AR. 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.

Kindergarten costs $971 per month in San Jose and $1,014 in Little Rock, AR. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Little Rock, AR – 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 Little Rock, AR at $2,137. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Little Rock, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,949 in San Jose to $2,137 in Little Rock, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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