Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Terrace

For one person, living costs are similar in San Jose and in Terrace: $1,938 and $1,887 a month, rent and utilities included.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Terrace
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Terrace Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Terrace

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,887

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Terrace

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $1,887 in Terrace, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Terrace $1,887

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $2,853 in Terrace, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Terrace $2,853

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $3,819 in Terrace, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Terrace $3,819

San Jose costs about 3% more than Terrace, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both San Jose and Terrace sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Terrace by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$17.53 CA$24.78

-29.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$79.9 CA$113

-23.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$9.87 CA$13.95

16.01%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$3.93 CA$5.55

11.70%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.09 CA$2.95

29.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.62 CA$2.29

19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$5.19 CA$7.34

-38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$6.15 CA$8.69

-28.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$2.25 CA$3.19

8.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.63 CA$3.72

15.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$5.10 CA$7.21

-52.75%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$3.60 CA$5.10

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$8.81 CA$12.45

22.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$15.36 CA$21.71

-32.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$13.51 CA$19.10

3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.06 CA$5.73

29.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.21 CA$1.72

31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$2.99 CA$4.23

56.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$3.67 CA$5.20

7.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$3.14 CA$4.44

24.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$3.13 CA$4.43

17.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.37 CA$3.36

-52.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.01 CA$1.43

215.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$11.27 CA$15.94

-46.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$13.44 CA$18.99

45.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$2.09 CA$2.96

34.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$1.78 CA$2.52

101.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.38 CA$1.95

-18.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$31.40 CA$44.40

112.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$3.30 CA$4.66

-24.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.50 CA$2.12

8.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$20.03 CA$28.31

-57.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.22 CA$1.72

27.87%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$27.8K CA$39.3K

-19.41%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$18.7K CA$26.5K

90.05%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$93.2 CA$132

2.12%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$38.92 CA$55.0

-8.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$58.3 CA$82.5

0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$40.14 CA$56.7

81.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

$16.45 CA$23.26

51.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$8.91 CA$12.60

-14.93%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$733 CA$1,037

36.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$13.4K CA$18.9K

27.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$36.65 CA$51.8

92.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$30.29 CA$42.82

84.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$79.8 CA$113

62.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$104 CA$147

26.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$992 CA$1,402

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$845 CA$1,194

-8.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$1,556 CA$2,200

26.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$1,325 CA$1,874

-2.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$4,127 CA$5,835

-44.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$3,426 CA$4,843

-46.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$3,096 CA$4,376

-67.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.05

70.69%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Terrace: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Terrace

$845 44.8% 9.1% $71

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Terrace

$364 19.3% 9.3% $37

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Terrace

$270 14.3% 17.7% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Terrace

$191 10.1% 0.6% $1.1

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Terrace

$113 6% 35.3% $61

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Terrace

$58 3.1% 34% $30

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Terrace

$48 2.5% 41.8% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $992 in Terrace. 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 205% higher in Terrace, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose versus $80.0 in Terrace. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in San Jose vs $364 in Terrace – so Terrace wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇨🇦 Terrace

🕒 Local time

11:39 11:39 AM

10:39 10:39 AM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

19,443

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, 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).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose Terrace 6,310 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Terrace

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 Terrace: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $2,831 in Terrace. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Terrace, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose and $80.0 in Terrace. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,938 in San Jose and $1,887 in Terrace. That's a gap of about 3%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Terrace, where all-in costs run around $1,887, than in San Jose at $1,938. In Terrace it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Terrace – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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