Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Stillwater, OK

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,077 in Stillwater, OK, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Stillwater, OK outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,924
/mo nomad
Stillwater, OK
🇺🇸 United States
$2,077
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Stillwater, OK

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 Stillwater, OK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,924 per month in San Jose vs $2,077 in Stillwater, OK, rent included.

  • San Jose $1,924
  • Stillwater, OK $2,077

A couple spends around $2,926 per month in San Jose vs $3,601 in Stillwater, OK, rent included.

  • San Jose $2,926
  • Stillwater, OK $3,601

A family of three spends $3,929 per month in San Jose vs $5,126 in Stillwater, OK, rent included.

  • San Jose $3,929
  • Stillwater, OK $5,126

San Jose is about 7% cheaper than Stillwater, OK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both San Jose and Stillwater, OK sit above the global median – San Jose by 42%, Stillwater, OK by 53%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.29 ₡5,513
$15.13 $15.13
-18.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 ₡27.9K
$40.50 $40.50
53.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.53 ₡5,171
$9.60 $9.60
20.10%
Cappuccino
$4.35 ₡1,953
$5.07 $5.07
-14.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 ₡1,183
$2.21 $2.21
19.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 ₡836
$1.46 $1.46
27.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.32 ₡1,490
$4.47 $4.47
-25.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52 ₡2,026
$5.42 $5.42
-16.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.39 ₡1,073
$0.91 $0.91
162.64%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 ₡1,381
$2.71 $2.71
13.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.50 ₡1,119
$3.45 $3.45
-27.54%
Eggs
$3.48 ₡1,562
$4.37 $4.37
-20.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.74 ₡4,815
$7.57 $7.57
41.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.32 ₡4,629
$8.98 $8.98
14.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.10 ₡6,325
$13.53 $13.53
4.21%
Apples (1kg)
$5.03 ₡2,256
$4.55 $4.55
10.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 ₡714
$3.07 $3.07
-48.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.84 ₡2,171
$6.74 $6.74
-28.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 ₡1,776
$5.53 $5.53
-28.39%
Potato (1kg)
$3.76 ₡1,684
$3.90 $3.90
-3.59%
Onion (1kg)
$3.73 ₡1,674
$3.55 $3.55
5.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ₡485
$1.92 $1.92
-43.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.25 ₡1,456
$1.72 $1.72
88.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.86 ₡2,627
$9.24 $9.24
-36.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.28 ₡9,095
$11.08 $11.08
83.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₡1,300
$1.77 $1.77
63.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ₡1,673
$4.88 $4.88
-23.57%
🚌 Getting Around
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
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
$0.83 $0.83
90.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K ₡15.1M
$27.6K $27.6K
21.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.7K ₡18.7M
$26.1K $26.1K
59.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.7 ₡42.0K
$171 $171
-45.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.42 ₡15.9K
$43.24 $43.24
-18.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.0 ₡26.9K
$62.0 $62.0
-3.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.83 ₡11.6K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.74 ₡3,471
$12.18 $12.18
-36.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,005 ₡450.9K
$1,095 $1,095
-8.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K ₡7.6M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.1 ₡32.8K
$81.3 $81.3
-10.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 ₡24.9K
$37.79 $37.79
46.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 ₡57.5K
$101 $101
27.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₡58.5K
$98.2 $98.2
32.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$932 ₡418.0K
$1,043 $1,043
-10.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$760 ₡340.8K
$1,016 $1,016
-25.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 ₡862.0K
$2,923 $2,923
-34.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 ₡572.1K
$2,879 $2,879
-55.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,301 ₡1.0M
$1,729 $1,729
33.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,833 ₡821.9K
$1,780 $1,780
2.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Jose
Stillwater, OK
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,029 ₡461.3K
$3,014 $3,014
-65.87%
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 18, 2026

Last update for Stillwater, OK: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Jose
$760
Stillwater, OK
$1K 33.6% $256
Groceries & Markets
San Jose
$403
Stillwater, OK
$359 10.9% $44
Eating Out
San Jose
$229
Stillwater, OK
$259 13% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Jose
$189
Stillwater, OK
$276 46.2% $87
Clothing & Footwear
San Jose
$174
Stillwater, OK
$143 17.9% $31
Sport & Entertainment
San Jose
$88
Stillwater, OK
$24 * 72.3% $64
Getting Around
San Jose
$80
Stillwater, OK
- * 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 $1,043 in Stillwater, OK. 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 193% higher in Stillwater, OK, 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 $40.00 in Stillwater, OK. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $359 – making Stillwater, OK the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇷 San Jose
🇺🇸 Stillwater, OK
🕒 Local time
13:41 1:41 PM
14:41 2:41 PM
1 h ahead of San Jose
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
342,188 Capital
44,818
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Jose Stillwater, OK 3,190 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • San Jose
  • Stillwater, OK

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 Stillwater, OK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stillwater, OK cheaper than San Jose?
Yes – Stillwater, OK is pricier by about 8%, 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 $2,886 per month in San Jose and $3,116 in Stillwater, OK. 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.
What are total monthly expenses in San Jose and in Stillwater, OK?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,924 in San Jose and $2,077 in Stillwater, OK. That's a gap of about 8%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,005 per month in San Jose and $1,095 in Stillwater, OK. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in San Jose or in Stillwater, OK?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Stillwater, OK at $2,077. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stillwater, OK it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is San Jose or Stillwater, OK 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 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, Stillwater, OK makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

San Jose vs other spots: cost of living compared

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