Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Rogers, AR

For one person, living costs are similar in San Jose and in Rogers, AR: $1,938 and $2,030 a month, rent and utilities included.

San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,938
/mo nomad
Rogers, AR
🇺🇸 United States
$2,030
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Rogers, AR

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 Rogers, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $2,030 in Rogers, AR, rent included.

  • San Jose $1,938
  • Rogers, AR $2,030

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $2,899 in Rogers, AR, rent included.

  • San Jose $2,936
  • Rogers, AR $2,899

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $3,768 in Rogers, AR, rent included.

  • San Jose $3,934
  • Rogers, AR $3,768

San Jose is about 5% cheaper than Rogers, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both San Jose and Rogers, AR sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Rogers, AR by 50%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.38 ₡5,551
$14.70 $14.70
-15.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9 ₡27.3K
$65.5 $65.5
-7.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.45 ₡5,135
$11.21 $11.21
2.14%
Cappuccino
$4.39 ₡1,967
$5.05 $5.05
-13.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₡1,211
$2.68 $2.68
0.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 ₡864
$2.03 $2.03
-4.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.20 ₡1,433
$5.08 $5.08
-37.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 ₡1,979
$6.61 $6.61
-33.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 ₡1,093
$1.11 $1.11
119.82%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 ₡1,369
$2.81 $2.81
8.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.41 ₡1,081
$2.70 $2.70
-10.74%
Eggs
$3.40 ₡1,523
$3.53 $3.53
-3.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.75 ₡4,823
$10.21 $10.21
5.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.43 ₡4,679
$10.92 $10.92
-4.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 ₡6,273
$13.16 $13.16
6.31%
Apples (1kg)
$5.25 ₡2,353
$4.86 $4.86
8.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 ₡712
$1.47 $1.47
8.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.69 ₡2,103
$4.51 $4.51
3.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.95 ₡1,770
$3.90 $3.90
1.28%
Potato (1kg)
$3.92 ₡1,760
$2.81 $2.81
39.50%
Onion (1kg)
$3.68 ₡1,651
$2.47 $2.47
48.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ₡503
$2.00 $2.00
-44.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.19 ₡1,429
$1.86 $1.86
71.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.00 ₡2,692
$9.42 $9.42
-36.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.56 ₡8,771
$13.71 $13.71
42.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 ₡1,263
$1.76 $1.76
60.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 ₡1,611
$1.69 $1.69
112.43%
🚌 Getting Around
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
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
$2.56 $2.56
-2.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ₡733
$1.49 $1.49
9.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.50 ₡3,812
$23.99 $23.99
-64.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 ₡701
$0.79 $0.79
97.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.4K ₡10.0M
$20.1K $20.1K
11.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.6K ₡16.0M
$17.7K $17.7K
101.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.2 ₡42.7K
$212 $212
-55.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.58 ₡16.0K
$60.3 $60.3
-40.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.6 ₡26.3K
$68.3 $68.3
-14.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.7 ₡32.6K
$35.95 $35.95
102.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.85 ₡11.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.58 ₡3,401
$12.13 $12.13
-37.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,001 ₡449.0K
$1,040 $1,040
-3.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K ₡7.7M
$19.2K $19.2K
-10.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.5 ₡31.6K
$20.05 $20.05
251.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₡25.0K
$38.68 $38.68
44.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 ₡58.2K
$80.6 $80.6
60.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 ₡58.7K
$108 $108
21.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$927 ₡415.8K
$1,012 $1,012
-8.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$774 ₡347.2K
$895 $895
-13.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,967 ₡882.0K
$1,726 $1,726
13.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 ₡577.6K
$1,327 $1,327
-2.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,274 ₡1.0M
$2,257 $2,257
0.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,831 ₡821.0K
$2,260 $2,260
-18.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Jose
Rogers, AR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,016 ₡455.8K
$4,430 $4,430
-77.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.62
6.53
32.01%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Rogers, AR: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Jose
$774
Rogers, AR
$895 15.6% $121
Groceries & Markets
San Jose
$401
Rogers, AR
$343 14.5% $58
Eating Out
San Jose
$229
Rogers, AR
$269 17.5% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
$189
Rogers, AR
$341 80% $151
Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
$174
Rogers, AR
$111 36.1% $63
Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
$88
Rogers, AR
$60 31.5% $28
Getting Around
San Jose
$82
Rogers, AR
$10 * 87.8% $72

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 $1,012 in Rogers, AR. 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 Rogers, AR, 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 $65.0 in Rogers, AR. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in San Jose vs $343 in Rogers, AR – so Rogers, AR wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇷 San Jose
🇺🇸 Rogers, AR
🕒 Local time
11:41 11:41 AM
12:41 12:41 PM
1 h ahead of San Jose
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
342,188 Capital
69,908
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 Rogers, AR 3,110 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • San Jose
  • Rogers, AR

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 Rogers, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rogers, AR cheaper than San Jose?
Yes – Rogers, AR is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $3,044 in Rogers, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in San Jose or in Rogers, AR?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose and $65.0 in Rogers, AR. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in San Jose and in Rogers, AR?
Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Rogers, AR – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in San Jose or in Rogers, AR?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Rogers, AR at $2,030. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rogers, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is San Jose or Rogers, AR more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Jose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, San Jose or Rogers, AR?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rogers, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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