Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Peoria, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in San Jose and in Peoria, IL: $1,938 and $1,953 a month, rent and utilities included.

San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,938
/mo nomad
Peoria, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,953
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Peoria, IL

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $1,953 in Peoria, IL, rent included.

  • San Jose $1,938
  • Peoria, IL $1,953

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $2,850 in Peoria, IL, rent included.

  • San Jose $2,936
  • Peoria, IL $2,850

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $3,747 in Peoria, IL, rent included.

  • San Jose $3,934
  • Peoria, IL $3,747

San Jose is about 1% cheaper than Peoria, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both San Jose and Peoria, IL sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Peoria, IL by 45%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.38 ₡5,551
$15.16 $15.16
-18.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9 ₡27.3K
$62.6 $62.6
-2.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.45 ₡5,135
$8.08 $8.08
41.71%
Cappuccino
$4.39 ₡1,967
$5.48 $5.48
-19.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₡1,211
$2.23 $2.23
21.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 ₡864
$1.13 $1.13
70.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.20 ₡1,433
$4.62 $4.62
-30.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 ₡1,979
$5.02 $5.02
-12.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 ₡1,093
$0.74 $0.74
229.73%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 ₡1,369
$2.27 $2.27
34.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.41 ₡1,081
$4.29 $4.29
-43.82%
Eggs
$3.40 ₡1,523
$3.76 $3.76
-9.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.75 ₡4,823
$11.94 $11.94
-9.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.43 ₡4,679
$10.88 $10.88
-4.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 ₡6,273
$16.47 $16.47
-15.06%
Apples (1kg)
$5.25 ₡2,353
$5.04 $5.04
4.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 ₡712
$1.10 $1.10
44.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.69 ₡2,103
$5.21 $5.21
-9.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.95 ₡1,770
$4.61 $4.61
-14.32%
Potato (1kg)
$3.92 ₡1,760
$2.56 $2.56
53.12%
Onion (1kg)
$3.68 ₡1,651
$2.26 $2.26
62.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ₡503
$2.02 $2.02
-44.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.19 ₡1,429
$2.16 $2.16
47.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.00 ₡2,692
$11.82 $11.82
-49.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.56 ₡8,771
$11.17 $11.17
75.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 ₡1,263
$2.06 $2.06
36.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 ₡1,611
$3.37 $3.37
6.53%
🚌 Getting Around
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡503
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.8 ₡30.0K
$40.51 $40.51
64.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.50 ₡1,119
$3.51 $3.51
-28.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ₡733
$2.85 $2.85
-42.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.50 ₡3,812
$17.72 $17.72
-52.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$1.11 $1.11
40.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.4K ₡10.0M
$36.4K $36.4K
-38.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6K ₡16.0M
$26.5K $26.5K
34.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡42.7K
$209 $209
-54.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.58 ₡16.0K
$53.2 $53.2
-33.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6 ₡26.3K
$65.6 $65.6
-10.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.7 ₡32.6K
$38.64 $38.64
88.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.85 ₡11.1K
$10.05 $10.05
147.26%
Cinema Ticket
$7.58 ₡3,401
$11.22 $11.22
-32.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,001 ₡449.0K
$889 $889
12.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K ₡7.7M
$12.7K $12.7K
34.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.5 ₡31.6K
$47.18 $47.18
49.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.0K
$25.16 $25.16
121.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 ₡58.2K
$58.0 $58.0
123.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 ₡58.7K
$50.1 $50.1
161.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$927 ₡415.8K
$1,045 $1,045
-11.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$774 ₡347.2K
$803 $803
-3.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,967 ₡882.0K
$1,559 $1,559
26.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 ₡577.6K
$1,267 $1,267
1.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,274 ₡1.0M
$1,114 $1,114
104.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,831 ₡821.0K
$1,102 $1,102
66.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Jose
Peoria, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,016 ₡455.8K
$4,120 $4,120
-75.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.82
26.39%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Peoria, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Jose
$774
Peoria, IL
$803 3.7% $29
Groceries & Markets
San Jose
$401
Peoria, IL
$363 9.4% $38
Eating Out
San Jose
$229
Peoria, IL
$258 12.4% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
$189
Peoria, IL
$328 73.1% $138
Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
$174
Peoria, IL
$81 53.4% $93
Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
$88
Peoria, IL
$61 30.5% $27
Getting Around
San Jose
$82
Peoria, IL
$58 * 28.9% $24

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 $1,045 in Peoria, IL. 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 305% higher in Peoria, IL, 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 $63.0 in Peoria, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in San Jose vs $363 in Peoria, IL – so Peoria, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 San Jose
🇺🇸 Peoria, IL
🕒 Local time
11:44 11:44 AM
12:44 12:44 PM
1 h ahead of San Jose
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
342,188 Capital
113,150
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Jose Peoria, IL 3,460 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • San Jose
  • Peoria, IL

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 Peoria, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, San Jose or Peoria, IL?
Peoria, IL costs about 1% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in San Jose and in Peoria, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $2,929 in Peoria, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, San Jose or Peoria, IL?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in San Jose and in Peoria, IL?
Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in San Jose and $889 in Peoria, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in San Jose or in Peoria, IL?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Peoria, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $2,500/month in San Jose or in Peoria, IL?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Peoria, IL at $1,953. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Peoria, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, San Jose or Peoria, IL?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,938 versus $1,953 in Peoria, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to San Jose or to Peoria, IL?
If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Peoria, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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