Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Saint Charles, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,184 in Saint Charles, MO, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Saint Charles, MO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Saint Charles, MO
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Saint Charles, MO Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Saint Charles, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,184

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Saint Charles, MO

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 Saint Charles, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,924 in San Jose versus $2,184 in Saint Charles, MO.

San Jose $1,924
Saint Charles, MO $2,184

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,926 in San Jose versus $3,474 in Saint Charles, MO.

San Jose $2,926
Saint Charles, MO $3,474

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,929 in San Jose versus $4,763 in Saint Charles, MO.

San Jose $3,929
Saint Charles, MO $4,763

Living in San Jose costs roughly 12% less than in Saint Charles, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 42% above, Saint Charles, MO 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 ₡5,513

$14.80 $14.80

-16.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡27.9K

$60.0 $60.0

3.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 ₡5,171

$11.83 $11.83

-2.54%

Cappuccino

$4.35 ₡1,953

$4.84 $4.84

-10.12%

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

$2.64 ₡1,183

$2.61 $2.61

1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡836

$1.85 $1.85

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,490

$5.06 $5.06

-34.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₡2,026

$6.15 $6.15

-26.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,073

$0.75 $0.75

218.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,381

$2.60 $2.60

18.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$6.27 $6.27

-60.13%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,562

$3.12 $3.12

11.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,815

$9.38 $9.38

14.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,629

$6.51 $6.51

58.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,325

$24.11 $24.11

-41.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 ₡2,256

$3.71 $3.71

35.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡714

$2.16 $2.16

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ₡2,171

$10.18 $10.18

-52.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,776

$5.12 $5.12

-22.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,684

$3.62 $3.62

3.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$3.71 $3.71

0.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡485

$2.11 $2.11

-48.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,456

$2.16 $2.16

50.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,627

$11.14 $11.14

-47.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 ₡9,095

$12.02 $12.02

68.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.89 $1.89

53.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₡1,673

$2.57 $2.57

45.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

$4.90 $4.90

-77.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,123

$3.05 $3.05

-18.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡732

$1.69 $1.69

-3.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 ₡3,904

$49.89 $49.89

-82.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡709

$0.91 $0.91

73.63%

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

$33.6K ₡15.1M

$27.5K $27.5K

22.05%

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

$41.7K ₡18.7M

$26.6K $26.6K

56.47%

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

$93.7 ₡42.0K

$334 $334

-72.00%

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

$35.42 ₡15.9K

$61.0 $61.0

-41.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$75.5 $75.5

-20.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$49.26 $49.26

47.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 ₡3,471

$11.93 $11.93

-35.12%

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

$1,005 ₡450.9K

$980 $980

2.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ₡32.8K

$68.9 $68.9

6.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$42.64 $42.64

30.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.5K

$78.6 $78.6

63.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.5K

$160 $160

-18.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡418.0K

$1,479 $1,479

-36.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡340.8K

$790 $790

-3.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡862.0K

$1,970 $1,970

-2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡572.1K

$1,917 $1,917

-33.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

$4,223 $4,223

-75.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.58

31.00%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Last update for Saint Charles, MO: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$760 39.5%

Saint Charles, MO

$790 36.2% 4% $30

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 21%

Saint Charles, MO

$393 18% 2.5% $10

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.9%

Saint Charles, MO

$267 12.3% 16.9% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Saint Charles, MO

$471 21.6% 149% $282

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9.1%

Saint Charles, MO

$158 7.2% 9.5% $16

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Saint Charles, MO

$73 3.4% 17% $15

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.2%

Saint Charles, MO

$31 * 1.4% 61.3% $49

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 $932 in San Jose and $1,479 in Saint Charles, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Charles, MO pays 311% 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: $62.0 in San Jose vs $60.0 in Saint Charles, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $393 per month, with Saint Charles, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Saint Charles, MO

🕒 Local time

20:28 8:28 PM

21:28 9:28 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

70,329

💱 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 21, 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 21, 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 Saint Charles, MO 3,270 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Saint Charles, MO

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 Saint Charles, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose and Saint Charles, MO differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,924 vs $2,184 including rent). San Jose is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 311% lower in Saint Charles, MO. 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: $932 in San Jose versus $1,479 in Saint Charles, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Saint Charles, MO pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,924 per month in San Jose versus $2,184 in Saint Charles, MO – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,924 in San Jose versus $2,184 in Saint Charles, MO, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Saint Charles, MO. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, San Jose and Saint Charles, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Saint Charles, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.