Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Port Angeles

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,105 a month against $2,669 in Port Angeles, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Jose, Costa Rica
Port Angeles, United States
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,105
/mo nomad
Port Angeles
🇺🇸 United States
$2,669
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Port Angeles

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,105 in San Jose versus $2,669 in Port Angeles.

  • San Jose $2,105
  • Port Angeles $2,669

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,074 in San Jose versus $4,006 in Port Angeles.

  • San Jose $3,074
  • Port Angeles $4,006

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,043 in San Jose versus $5,343 in Port Angeles.

  • San Jose $4,043
  • Port Angeles $5,343

Living in San Jose costs roughly 21% less than in Port Angeles, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 55% above, Port Angeles 96% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.43 ₡5,609
$22.67 $22.67
-45.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9 ₡27.5K
$118 $118
-48.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 ₡5,288
$12.85 $12.85
-8.79%
Cappuccino
$4.47 ₡2,019
$5.79 $5.79
-22.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 ₡1,241
$4.96 $4.96
-44.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 ₡867
$2.48 $2.48
-22.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 ₡1,470
$8.05 $8.05
-59.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 ₡2,009
$11.81 $11.81
-62.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.36 ₡1,063
$1.05 $1.05
124.76%
White Bread (500g)
$3.09 ₡1,393
$4.79 $4.79
-35.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.40 ₡1,083
$2.73 $2.73
-12.09%
Eggs
$3.44 ₡1,553
$4.88 $4.88
-29.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.73 ₡4,841
$14.83 $14.83
-27.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.36 ₡4,674
$11.21 $11.21
-7.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.84 ₡6,243
$10.94 $10.94
26.51%
Apples (1kg)
$5.15 ₡2,323
$5.61 $5.61
-8.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 ₡746
$1.79 $1.79
-7.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.67 ₡2,109
$5.47 $5.47
-14.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.98 ₡1,798
$4.28 $4.28
-7.01%
Potato (1kg)
$3.90 ₡1,761
$2.39 $2.39
63.18%
Onion (1kg)
$3.65 ₡1,647
$3.84 $3.84
-4.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ₡487
$1.98 $1.98
-45.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.10 ₡1,398
$2.02 $2.02
53.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.08 ₡2,745
$12.14 $12.14
-49.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.05 ₡9,047
$25.03 $25.03
-19.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 ₡1,252
$2.15 $2.15
28.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 ₡1,666
$3.59 $3.59
2.79%
🚌 Getting Around
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 ₡503
$1.95 $1.95
-42.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.7 ₡30.1K
$53.3 $53.3
25.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.49 ₡1,122
$3.06 $3.06
-18.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ₡735
$1.70 $1.70
-4.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 ₡3,821
$29.83 $29.83
-71.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ₡708
$1.03 $1.03
52.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K ₡15.6M
$27.6K $27.6K
25.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.3K ₡19.1M
$26.9K $26.9K
57.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.2 ₡42.0K
$158 $158
-41.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.05 ₡16.3K
$54.8 $54.8
-34.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.1 ₡26.7K
$65.8 $65.8
-10.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.0 ₡31.1K
$41.38 $41.38
66.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.80 ₡11.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.85 ₡3,543
$19.76 $19.76
-60.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$996 ₡449.4K
$1,968 $1,968
-49.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.0K ₡7.7M
$48.7K $48.7K
-65.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.1 ₡31.6K
$49.52 $49.52
41.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.2 ₡24.9K
$29.70 $29.70
85.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 ₡58.5K
$96.5 $96.5
34.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 ₡59.2K
$101 $101
30.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,164 ₡525.2K
$1,603 $1,603
-27.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$945 ₡426.4K
$1,311 $1,311
-27.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 ₡899.4K
$2,493 $2,493
-20.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,404 ₡633.4K
$2,118 $2,118
-33.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,727 ₡1.2M
$2,738 $2,738
-0.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,040 ₡920.7K
$2,370 $2,370
-13.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Jose
Port Angeles
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,011 ₡456.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.44
33.85%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 26, 2026

Last update for Port Angeles: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Jose
$945
Port Angeles
$1.3K 38.7% $366
Groceries & Markets
San Jose
$399
Port Angeles
$419 5% $20
Eating Out
San Jose
$232
Port Angeles
$383 65% $151
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
$188
Port Angeles
$278 47.9% $90
Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
$174
Port Angeles
$124 28.4% $49
Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
$85
Port Angeles
$81 4.5% $3.8
Getting Around
San Jose
$82
Port Angeles
$73 11.3% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,164 in San Jose and $1,603 in Port Angeles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61 in San Jose vs $118 in Port Angeles for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $419 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇷 San Jose
🇺🇸 Port Angeles
🕒 Local time
17:44 5:44 PM
16:44 4:44 PM
1 h behind San Jose
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
342,188 Capital
19,960
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Jose Port Angeles 5,610 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Jose
  • Port Angeles

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 Port Angeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in San Jose and in Port Angeles?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,105 in San Jose and $2,669 in Port Angeles, so San Jose is about 21% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in San Jose compared to Port Angeles?
You’d need roughly $3,158 in San Jose and $4,004 in Port Angeles to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in San Jose and in Port Angeles?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,164 in San Jose versus $1,603 in Port Angeles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Port Angeles. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $61 versus $118 in Port Angeles. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $2,105 in San Jose versus $2,669 in Port Angeles, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Port Angeles. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between San Jose and Port Angeles?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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