Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Olathe, KS

For one person, living costs are similar in San Jose and in Olathe, KS: $1,938 and $2,011 a month, rent and utilities included.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Olathe, KS
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Olathe, KS Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Olathe, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,011

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Olathe, 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 Olathe, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $2,011 in Olathe, KS, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Olathe, KS $2,011

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $3,031 in Olathe, KS, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Olathe, KS $3,031

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $4,051 in Olathe, KS, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Olathe, KS $4,051

San Jose is about 4% cheaper than Olathe, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Jose and Olathe, KS sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Olathe, KS by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$10.09 $10.09

22.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$58.8 $58.8

3.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$9.36 $9.36

22.33%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$3.48 $3.48

26.15%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$1.03 $1.03

162.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.80 $1.80

7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$5.07 $5.07

-36.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$9.13 $9.13

-51.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$0.94 $0.94

159.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.18 $2.18

39.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$3.35 $3.35

-28.06%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$3.35 $3.35

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$9.41 $9.41

14.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$8.41 $8.41

24.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$13.35 $13.35

4.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.18 $4.18

25.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.52 $1.52

4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$2.52 $2.52

86.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$3.54 $3.54

11.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$2.33 $2.33

68.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.99 $2.99

23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.87 $1.87

-40.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.85 $1.85

72.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$9.90 $9.90

-39.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$9.79 $9.79

99.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$1.86 $1.86

51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$1.57 $1.57

128.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$4.94 $4.94

-49.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.87 $1.87

-12.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$35.60 $35.60

-76.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.85 $0.85

83.53%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$20.7K $20.7K

8.30%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$23.1K $23.1K

53.95%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$143 $143

-33.29%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$47.15 $47.15

-24.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$52.6 $52.6

11.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$55.3 $55.3

31.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$11.98 $11.98

-36.73%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$786 $786

27.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$40.14 $40.14

75.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$29.66 $29.66

88.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$89.5 $89.5

45.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$118 $118

10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,085 $1,085

-14.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,044 $1,044

-25.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$1,672 $1,672

17.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$1,904 $1,904

-32.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$851 $851

115.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$5,482 $5,482

-81.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.79

48.88%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Olathe, KS: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Olathe, KS

$1K 51.9% 34.8% $270

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Olathe, KS

$301 15% 25% $100

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Olathe, KS

$205 10.2% 10.4% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Olathe, KS

$243 12.1% 28% $53

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Olathe, KS

$125 6.2% 28.3% $49

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Olathe, KS

$79 3.9% 9.8% $8.6

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Olathe, KS

$14 * 0.7% 82.5% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $1,085 in Olathe, 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 439% higher in Olathe, 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 $61.0 in San Jose versus $59.0 in Olathe, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $301 – making Olathe, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Olathe, KS

🕒 Local time

08:00 8:00 AM

09:00 9:00 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

135,473

💱 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 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose Olathe, KS 3,390 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Olathe, 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 Olathe, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,938 in San Jose, $2,011 in Olathe, KS – roughly 4% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $3,017 in Olathe, 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,938 in San Jose and $2,011 in Olathe, KS. That's a gap of about 4%.

Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in San Jose and $786 in Olathe, KS. 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 $1,938, than in Olathe, KS at $2,011. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olathe, KS 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 $1,938 in San Jose to $2,011 in Olathe, KS. 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, Olathe, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.