Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Round Rock, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,319 in Round Rock, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in Round Rock, TX
Learn more

Round Rock, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Round Rock, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Round Rock, TX

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 Round Rock, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,319 in Round Rock, TX.

San Jose $1,938
Round Rock, TX $2,319

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in San Jose versus $3,459 in Round Rock, TX.

San Jose $2,936
Round Rock, TX $3,459

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,934 in San Jose versus $4,598 in Round Rock, TX.

San Jose $3,934
Round Rock, TX $4,598

Living in San Jose costs roughly 16% less than in Round Rock, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 44% above, Round Rock, TX 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$20.38 $20.38

-39.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$81.1 $81.1

-24.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$12.12 $12.12

-5.53%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$5.85 $5.85

-24.96%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.91 $2.91

-7.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$2.43 $2.43

-20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$8.17 $8.17

-60.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$9.25 $9.25

-52.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.16 $1.16

110.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$3.60 $3.60

-15.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$3.27 $3.27

-26.30%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$3.72 $3.72

-8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$13.20 $13.20

-18.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$14.05 $14.05

-25.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$16.20 $16.20

-13.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.43 $4.43

18.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.59 $1.59

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$4.55 $4.55

3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$4.24 $4.24

-6.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$2.51 $2.51

56.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.26 $2.26

62.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.78 $1.78

-37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$2.12 $2.12

50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$9.34 $9.34

-35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$15.07 $15.07

29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$2.08 $2.08

35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$3.22 $3.22

11.49%

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

$2.78 $2.78

-10.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.58 $1.58

3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$23.55 $23.55

-63.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.94 $0.94

65.96%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$35.8K $35.8K

-37.43%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$25.6K $25.6K

39.18%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$222 $222

-57.03%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$59.0 $59.0

-39.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$68.6 $68.6

-14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$48.38 $48.38

50.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$14.16 $14.16

-46.47%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$1,490 $1,490

-32.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$21.5K $21.5K

-20.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$59.5 $59.5

18.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$42.86 $42.86

30.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$87.8 $87.8

47.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$105 $105

24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,185 $1,185

-21.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,003 $1,003

-22.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$1,799 $1,799

9.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$1,704 $1,704

-24.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$2,733 $2,733

-16.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$2,789 $2,789

-34.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$4,652 $4,652

-78.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.65

29.62%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Round Rock, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Round Rock, TX

$1K 43.2% 29.5% $229

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Round Rock, TX

$397 17.1% 1.1% $4.3

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Round Rock, TX

$350 15.1% 52.7% $121

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Round Rock, TX

$349 15.1% 84.3% $160

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Round Rock, TX

$133 5.7% 23.7% $41

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Round Rock, TX

$77 3.3% 12.7% $11

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Round Rock, TX

$11 * 0.5% 87% $71

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in San Jose and $1,185 in Round Rock, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Round Rock, TX pays 358% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in San Jose vs $81.0 in Round Rock, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $397, with Round Rock, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Round Rock, TX

🕒 Local time

10:10 10:10 AM

11:10 11:10 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

119,468

💱 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 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).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Jose Round Rock, TX 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Round Rock, TX

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 Round Rock, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 358% lower in Round Rock, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $927 in San Jose versus $1,185 in Round Rock, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Round Rock, TX pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,938 per month in San Jose versus $2,319 in Round Rock, TX – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,319 in Round Rock, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Round Rock, TX. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Jose is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Round Rock, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Round Rock, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.