Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Saint Joseph, MO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
121

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

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Saint Joseph, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,485

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Saint Joseph, 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 Joseph, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,924 per month in San Jose vs $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

San Jose $1,924
Saint Joseph, MO $2,485

A couple spends around $2,926 per month in San Jose vs $3,629 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

San Jose $2,926
Saint Joseph, MO $3,629

A family of three spends $3,929 per month in San Jose vs $4,773 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

San Jose $3,929
Saint Joseph, MO $4,773

San Jose is about 23% cheaper than Saint Joseph, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Saint Joseph, MO sit above the global median – San Jose by 42%, Saint Joseph, MO by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 ₡5,513

$20.25 $20.25

-39.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡27.9K

$50.1 $50.1

24.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 ₡5,171

$10.79 $10.79

6.86%

Cappuccino

$4.35 ₡1,953

$5.09 $5.09

-14.54%

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

$2.64 ₡1,183

$2.14 $2.14

23.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡836

$1.10 $1.10

69.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,490

$4.92 $4.92

-32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₡2,026

$7.61 $7.61

-40.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,073

$0.89 $0.89

168.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,381

$3.26 $3.26

-5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$6.10 $6.10

-59.02%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,562

$4.67 $4.67

-25.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,815

$11.63 $11.63

-7.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,629

$8.39 $8.39

23.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,325

$14.71 $14.71

-4.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 ₡2,256

$6.98 $6.98

-27.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡714

$2.16 $2.16

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ₡2,171

$5.80 $5.80

-16.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,776

$4.36 $4.36

-9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,684

$3.42 $3.42

9.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$3.73 $3.73

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡485

$1.91 $1.91

-43.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,456

$2.53 $2.53

28.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,627

$8.74 $8.74

-32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 ₡9,095

$17.28 $17.28

17.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.87 $1.87

55.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₡1,673

$2.45 $2.45

52.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

$1.97 $1.97

-45.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,123

$5.10 $5.10

-50.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡732

$1.81 $1.81

-9.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 ₡3,904

$35.53 $35.53

-75.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡709

$1.04 $1.04

51.92%

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

$33.6K ₡15.1M

$27.7K $27.7K

21.41%

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

$41.7K ₡18.7M

$26.4K $26.4K

57.85%

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

$93.7 ₡42.0K

$147 $147

-36.28%

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

$35.42 ₡15.9K

$47.87 $47.87

-26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$66.0 $66.0

-9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$40.97 $40.97

77.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 ₡3,471

$15.29 $15.29

-49.38%

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

$1,005 ₡450.9K

$812 $812

23.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

$20.8K $20.8K

-18.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ₡32.8K

$47.92 $47.92

52.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$34.63 $34.63

60.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.5K

$89.1 $89.1

43.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.5K

$116 $116

12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡418.0K

$1,616 $1,616

-42.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡340.8K

$1,289 $1,289

-41.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡862.0K

$2,489 $2,489

-22.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡572.1K

$2,185 $2,185

-41.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

$1,569 $1,569

46.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

$1,566 $1,566

17.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

$2,880 $2,880

-64.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.37

35.32%

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 Joseph, MO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$760 39.5%

Saint Joseph, MO

$1.3K 51.9% 69.7% $529

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 21%

Saint Joseph, MO

$403 16.2% 0% $0.1

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.9%

Saint Joseph, MO

$308 12.4% 34.7% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Saint Joseph, MO

$261 10.5% 38% $72

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9.1%

Saint Joseph, MO

$130 5.2% 25.7% $45

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Saint Joseph, MO

$72 2.9% 18.8% $17

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.2%

Saint Joseph, MO

$22 * 0.9% 72.6% $58

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in San Jose versus $1,616 in Saint Joseph, MO. 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 180% higher in Saint Joseph, MO, 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 $62.0 in San Jose versus $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in San Jose vs $403 in Saint Joseph, MO – so San Jose wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MO

🕒 Local time

17:33 5:33 PM

18:33 6:33 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

76,780

💱 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 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose Saint Joseph, MO 3,480 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Saint Joseph, 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 Joseph, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Joseph, MO costs about 29% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,886 per month in San Jose and $3,727 in Saint Joseph, MO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,924 in San Jose and $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO. That's a gap of about 29%.

Kindergarten costs $1,005 per month in San Jose and $812 in Saint Joseph, MO. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Saint Joseph, MO at $2,485. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Joseph, MO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,924 versus $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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