Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Machala

For one person, living is cheaper in Machala: $654 a month against $1,938 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Machala
Learn more

Machala Living Index

Jump to prices

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Machala

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$654

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Machala

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,938 in San Jose versus $654 in Machala.

San Jose $1,938
Machala $654

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in San Jose versus $1,045 in Machala.

San Jose $2,936
Machala $1,045

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,934 in San Jose versus $1,436 in Machala.

San Jose $3,934
Machala $1,436

Living in San Jose is roughly 196% more expensive than in Machala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Jose is 44% above, Machala is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$2.69 $2.69

360.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$25.09 $25.09

142.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$5.21 $5.21

119.77%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$2.70 $2.70

62.59%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$0.84 $0.84

221.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$0.75 $0.75

157.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$1.94 $1.94

64.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$3.80 $3.80

16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.10 $1.10

121.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$1.05 $1.05

190.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$0.96 $0.96

151.04%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$1.50 $1.50

126.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$3.34 $3.34

221.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$4.12 $4.12

153.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$4.80 $4.80

191.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$1.54 $1.54

240.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$0.64 $0.64

148.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$0.74 $0.74

533.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$0.53 $0.53

645.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$0.38 $0.38

931.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$0.49 $0.49

651.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$0.37 $0.37

202.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$0.99 $0.99

222.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$4.39 $4.39

36.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$7.59 $7.59

157.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$1.51 $1.51

86.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.11 $2.11

70.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$0.33 $0.33

239.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$22.38 $22.38

198.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$1.47 $1.47

70.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.80 $1.80

-9.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$7.98 $7.98

6.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.59 $0.59

164.41%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$18.1K $18.1K

23.77%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$21.9K $21.9K

62.67%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$50.8 $50.8

87.33%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$15.01 $15.01

137.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$26.60 $26.60

120.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$43.11 $43.11

68.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

$30.17 $30.17

-17.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$4.91 $4.91

54.38%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$133 $133

651.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$5,667 $5,667

202.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$65.9 $65.9

7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$39.72 $39.72

40.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$79.8 $79.8

62.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$67.6 $67.6

93.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$193 $193

379.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$132 $132

487.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$349 $349

463.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$265 $265

386.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$458 $458

122.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

72.40%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Machala: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Machala

$132 20.2% 83% $642

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Machala

$136 20.7% 66.1% $265

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Machala

$93 14.3% 59.4% $136

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Machala

$92 14.1% 51.2% $97

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Machala

$114 17.4% 34.6% $60

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Machala

$53 8.1% 39.7% $35

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Machala

$34 5.2% 58.3% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in San Jose and $193 in Machala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Jose pays 122% 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 $25.00 in Machala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $136 per month, with Machala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇪🇨 Machala

🕒 Local time

00:02 12:02 AM

01:02 1:02 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

231,260

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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 Machala 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Machala

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 Machala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machala is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 196% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 122% higher in San Jose, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $927 in San Jose versus $193 in Machala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Machala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $61.0 in San Jose. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,938 per month in San Jose versus $654 in Machala – a 196% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $654 in Machala versus $1,938 in San Jose, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in San Jose. The gap between the two cities makes Machala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Machala 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.

Expats usually find Machala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 196% less than in San Jose. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.