Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Perez Zeledon Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Perez Zeledon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,969 per month in San Jose vs $1,333 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,939 per month in San Jose vs $2,374 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,908 per month in San Jose vs $3,415 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

San Jose costs about 48% more than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

San Jose sits 44% above the global median, while Perez Zeledon is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 ₡5,486

$9.47 ₡4,210

30.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 ₡26.6K

$37.63 ₡16.7K

59.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 ₡5,066

$8.17 ₡3,630

39.53%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ₡1,914

$2.63 ₡1,169

63.88%

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

$2.71 ₡1,203

$1.92 ₡851

41.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ₡835

$1.74 ₡771

8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 ₡1,443

$1.73 ₡769

87.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,962

$3.11 ₡1,380

41.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₡1,044

$1.59 ₡708

47.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 ₡1,401

$3.16 ₡1,406

-0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 ₡1,096

$2.55 ₡1,133

-3.14%

Eggs

$3.51 ₡1,561

$2.55 ₡1,134

37.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,771

$10.72 ₡4,765

0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₡4,694

$10.61 ₡4,715

-0.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 ₡6,377

$14.37 ₡6,389

-0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.21 ₡2,317

$5.20 ₡2,312

0.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ₡746

$1.12 ₡499

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 ₡2,179

$4.70 ₡2,089

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 ₡1,785

$4.04 ₡1,795

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,684

$3.86 ₡1,714

-1.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 ₡1,640

$3.76 ₡1,671

-1.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡479

$0.45 ₡200

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 ₡1,405

$3.22 ₡1,430

-1.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 ₡2,714

$5.78 ₡2,568

5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.20 ₡8,980

$20.59 ₡9,151

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₡1,309

$2.85 ₡1,266

3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 ₡1,592

$3.64 ₡1,619

-1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ₡502

$0.76 ₡336

48.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 ₡29.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 ₡1,081

$2.51 ₡1,117

-3.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 ₡727

$1.56 ₡694

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 ₡3,906

$8.63 ₡3,836

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ₡686

$1.54 ₡685

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

$21.9K ₡9.8M

$21.7K ₡9.6M

1.07%

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

$34.6K ₡15.4M

$35.2K ₡15.6M

-1.72%

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

$95.4 ₡42.4K

$95.8 ₡42.6K

-0.40%

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

$36.83 ₡16.4K

$24.16 ₡10.7K

52.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 ₡28.2K

$61.9 ₡27.5K

2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 ₡33.0K

$72.9 ₡32.4K

1.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.97 ₡11.5K

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 ₡3,775

$8.11 ₡3,606

4.69%

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

$1,001 ₡444.8K

$490 ₡217.8K

104.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₡7.7M

$17.5K ₡7.8M

-0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 ₡32.6K

$71.5 ₡31.8K

2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 ₡25.6K

$55.4 ₡24.6K

3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡56.9K

$133 ₡58.9K

-3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₡60.1K

$133 ₡59.2K

1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 ₡428.7K

$402 ₡178.7K

139.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 ₡341.7K

$330 ₡146.7K

132.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,911 ₡849.5K

$2,142 ₡952.2K

-10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 ₡578.3K

$1,295 ₡575.5K

0.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,319 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 ₡796.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,071 ₡475.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

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

Last update for San Jose: September 14, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in San Jose versus $402 in Perez Zeledon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in San Jose versus $38.00 in Perez Zeledon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $390 – making Perez Zeledon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,954 per month in San Jose and $2,000 in Perez Zeledon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perez Zeledon, 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 $1,969 in San Jose and $1,333 in Perez Zeledon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in San Jose and $490 in Perez Zeledon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perez Zeledon, where all-in costs run around $1,333, than in San Jose at $1,969. In Perez Zeledon it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perez Zeledon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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