Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Schaumburg, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
157

Cost of Living Index in Schaumburg, IL
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Schaumburg, IL Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Schaumburg, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,270

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Schaumburg, IL

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 Schaumburg, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,924 per month in San Jose vs $3,270 in Schaumburg, IL, rent included.

San Jose $1,924
Schaumburg, IL $3,270

A couple spends around $2,926 per month in San Jose vs $4,555 in Schaumburg, IL, rent included.

San Jose $2,926
Schaumburg, IL $4,555

A family of three spends $3,929 per month in San Jose vs $5,840 in Schaumburg, IL, rent included.

San Jose $3,929
Schaumburg, IL $5,840

San Jose is about 41% cheaper than Schaumburg, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both San Jose and Schaumburg, IL sit above the global median – San Jose by 42%, Schaumburg, IL by 141%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 ₡5,513

$15.02 $15.02

-18.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡27.9K

$101 $101

-38.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 ₡5,171

$13.24 $13.24

-12.92%

Cappuccino

$4.35 ₡1,953

$4.80 $4.80

-9.38%

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

$2.64 ₡1,183

$2.56 $2.56

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡836

$2.22 $2.22

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,490

$4.53 $4.53

-26.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₡2,026

$6.13 $6.13

-26.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,073

$0.86 $0.86

177.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,381

$4.16 $4.16

-25.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$7.50 $7.50

-66.67%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,562

$4.04 $4.04

-13.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,815

$14.89 $14.89

-27.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,629

$13.54 $13.54

-23.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,325

$17.42 $17.42

-19.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 ₡2,256

$5.36 $5.36

-6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡714

$3.06 $3.06

-48.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ₡2,171

$4.83 $4.83

0.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,776

$4.08 $4.08

-2.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,684

$3.34 $3.34

12.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$3.26 $3.26

14.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡485

$1.97 $1.97

-45.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,456

$3.40 $3.40

-4.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,627

$17.77 $17.77

-67.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 ₡9,095

$19.19 $19.19

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₡1,673

$5.59 $5.59

-33.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,123

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡732

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 ₡3,904

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡709

$0.93 $0.93

69.89%

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

$33.6K ₡15.1M

$25.9K $25.9K

29.98%

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

$41.7K ₡18.7M

$29.3K $29.3K

42.12%

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

$93.7 ₡42.0K

$339 $339

-72.41%

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

$35.42 ₡15.9K

$77.6 $77.6

-54.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$149 $149

-59.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$64.1 $64.1

13.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

$40.45 $40.45

-36.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 ₡3,471

$19.63 $19.63

-60.57%

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

$1,005 ₡450.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

$85.0K $85.0K

-80.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ₡32.8K

$74.3 $74.3

-1.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$50.7 $50.7

9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.5K

$101 $101

27.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.5K

$121 $121

7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡418.0K

$1,896 $1,896

-50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡340.8K

$1,713 $1,713

-55.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡862.0K

$2,769 $2,769

-30.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡572.1K

$2,507 $2,507

-49.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

$2,132 $2,132

7.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

$2,090 $2,090

-12.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

$5,001 $5,001

-79.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.1

41.31%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$760 39.5%

Schaumburg, IL

$1.7K 52.4% 125% $953

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 21%

Schaumburg, IL

$461 * 14.1% 14.3% $58

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.9%

Schaumburg, IL

$271 8.3% 18.6% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Schaumburg, IL

$566 17.3% 199% $377

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9.1%

Schaumburg, IL

$156 4.8% 10.4% $18

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Schaumburg, IL

$103 3.2% 17.4% $15

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.2%

Schaumburg, IL

- * 0% 100%

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 $1,896 in Schaumburg, IL. 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 386% higher in Schaumburg, IL, 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 $101 in Schaumburg, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $461 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Schaumburg, IL

🕒 Local time

01:36 1:36 AM

02:36 2:36 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

78,723

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose Schaumburg, IL 3,590 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Schaumburg, IL

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 Schaumburg, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Schaumburg, IL is pricier by about 70%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,886 per month in San Jose and $4,905 in Schaumburg, IL. 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.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Schaumburg, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in San Jose and $101 in Schaumburg, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Schaumburg, IL at $3,270. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schaumburg, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

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