Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Madison, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $2,994 in Madison, WI, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
148

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,994

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Madison, WI

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

A single person spends $1,949 per month in San Jose vs $2,994 in Madison, WI, rent included.

San Jose $1,949
Madison, WI $2,994

A couple spends around $2,903 per month in San Jose vs $4,424 in Madison, WI, rent included.

San Jose $2,903
Madison, WI $4,424

A family of three spends $3,857 per month in San Jose vs $5,854 in Madison, WI, rent included.

San Jose $3,857
Madison, WI $5,854

San Jose is about 35% cheaper than Madison, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Madison, WI sit above the global median – San Jose by 45%, Madison, WI by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,510

$19.62 $19.62

-37.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡27.1K

$68.0 $68.0

-11.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 ₡5,305

$13.07 $13.07

-9.95%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₡1,939

$5.63 $5.63

-23.62%

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

$2.72 ₡1,226

$3.16 $3.16

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡830

$2.53 $2.53

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,480

$7.08 $7.08

-53.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₡1,966

$8.23 $8.23

-47.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 ₡1,074

$0.98 $0.98

142.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,408

$3.43 $3.43

-9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,086

$4.13 $4.13

-41.65%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,564

$3.61 $3.61

-3.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,767

$14.92 $14.92

-29.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₡4,758

$13.28 $13.28

-20.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,196

$20.06 $20.06

-31.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 ₡2,274

$4.75 $4.75

6.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡727

$1.62 $1.62

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,069

$5.31 $5.31

-13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,731

$4.98 $4.98

-22.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 ₡1,700

$2.79 $2.79

35.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,693

$3.12 $3.12

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡506

$2.19 $2.19

-48.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₡1,441

$2.42 $2.42

32.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 ₡2,632

$10.77 $10.77

-45.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 ₡8,897

$15.75 $15.75

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,240

$2.70 $2.70

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₡1,650

$4.43 $4.43

-17.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.06 $2.06

-45.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₡29.4K

$65.5 $65.5

-0.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ₡1,110

$3.97 $3.97

-38.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡692

$2.02 $2.02

-23.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ₡3,815

$43.09 $43.09

-80.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

$1.01 $1.01

53.47%

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

$21.7K ₡9.8M

$36.0K $36.0K

-39.71%

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

$34.9K ₡15.7M

$25.6K $25.6K

36.10%

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

$94.7 ₡42.7K

$269 $269

-64.82%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$52.5 $52.5

-33.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.4K

$83.8 $83.8

-30.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 ₡32.5K

$58.4 $58.4

23.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 ₡11.4K

$10.54 $10.54

138.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ₡3,532

$15.27 $15.27

-48.72%

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

$971 ₡437.9K

$1,705 $1,705

-43.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ₡7.7M

$23.0K $23.0K

-26.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.3K

$63.0 $63.0

13.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₡24.7K

$50.0 $50.0

9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡58.2K

$108 $108

19.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡60.0K

$121 $121

9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 ₡420.9K

$1,789 $1,789

-47.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡347.2K

$1,572 $1,572

-51.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 ₡876.7K

$3,177 $3,177

-38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₡593.5K

$2,565 $2,565

-48.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 ₡1.0M

$4,524 $4,524

-49.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 ₡809.1K

$2,489 $2,489

-27.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 ₡453.5K

$4,383 $4,383

-77.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.69

28.85%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Last update for Madison, WI: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$770 39.9%

Madison, WI

$1.6K 51.1% 104% $802

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$399 20.7%

Madison, WI

$432 14% 8.4% $33

Eating Out

San Jose

$228 11.8%

Madison, WI

$338 11% 48.4% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$188 9.8%

Madison, WI

$405 13.2% 115% $217

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$175 9.1%

Madison, WI

$154 5% 12% $21

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Madison, WI

$89 2.9% 1.3% $1.1

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.1%

Madison, WI

$88 2.9% 10.1% $8.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $934 in San Jose versus $1,789 in Madison, WI. 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 336% higher in Madison, WI, 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 $68.0 in Madison, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $432 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🕒 Local time

07:04 7:04 AM

08:04 8:04 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

248,951

💱 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 Madison, WI 3,720 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Madison, WI

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 Madison, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,949 in San Jose, $2,994 in Madison, WI – roughly 54% 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 $4,491 in Madison, WI. 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.

Public transport costs about 1% less in San Jose. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $971 per month in San Jose and $1,705 in Madison, WI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Madison, WI at $2,994. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madison, WI 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 $2,994 in Madison, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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