Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Topeka, KS

For one person, living costs are similar in San Jose and in Topeka, KS: $1,938 and $1,922 a month, rent and utilities included.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Topeka, KS
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Topeka, KS Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Topeka, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,922

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Topeka, KS

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $1,922 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Topeka, KS $1,922

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $2,865 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Topeka, KS $2,865

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $3,807 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Topeka, KS $3,807

San Jose costs about 1% more than Topeka, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Jose and Topeka, KS sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Topeka, KS by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$13.47 $13.47

-8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$51.7 $51.7

17.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$9.87 $9.87

16.01%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$3.40 $3.40

29.12%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.26 $2.26

19.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.73 $1.73

11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$4.51 $4.51

-29.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$8.82 $8.82

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$0.81 $0.81

201.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.68 $2.68

13.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$2.99 $2.99

-19.40%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$3.97 $3.97

-14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$8.99 $8.99

19.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$8.24 $8.24

26.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$14.74 $14.74

-5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.67 $4.67

12.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.57 $1.57

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$5.14 $5.14

-8.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$4.21 $4.21

-6.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$3.39 $3.39

15.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.53 $2.53

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.84 $1.84

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$0.84 $0.84

279.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$8.85 $8.85

-32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$12.23 $12.23

59.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$1.85 $1.85

52.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$1.64 $1.64

118.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$4.02 $4.02

-72.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$50.3 $50.3

32.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$2.76 $2.76

-9.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.57 $1.57

3.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$33.70 $33.70

-74.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$0.94 $0.94

65.96%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$24.0K $24.0K

-6.62%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$25.0K $25.0K

42.54%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$143 $143

-33.55%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$48.04 $48.04

-25.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$66.0 $66.0

-11.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$44.74 $44.74

62.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

$15.30 $15.30

62.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$15.25 $15.25

-50.30%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$438 $438

128.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$38.30 $38.30

84.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$28.87 $28.87

93.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$88.8 $88.8

46.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$80.8 $80.8

61.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$790 $790

17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$853 $853

-9.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$1,302 $1,302

51.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$1,467 $1,467

-12.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$1,292 $1,292

76.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$1,342 $1,342

36.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$3,554 $3,554

-71.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.24

38.14%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Topeka, KS

$853 44.4% 10.1% $78

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Topeka, KS

$319 16.6% 20.4% $82

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Topeka, KS

$234 12.2% 2.2% $5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Topeka, KS

$257 13.4% 35.8% $68

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Topeka, KS

$107 5.5% 38.8% $68

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Topeka, KS

$75 3.9% 14.3% $13

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Topeka, KS

$77 4% 6% $4.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $790 in Topeka, KS. 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 250% higher in Topeka, KS, 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 $52.0 in Topeka, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $319 – making Topeka, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Topeka, KS

🕒 Local time

12:12 12:12 PM

13:12 1:12 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

124,331

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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 Topeka, KS 3,440 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Topeka, KS

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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $2,883 in Topeka, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Topeka, KS, 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 $52.0 in Topeka, KS. 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 $1,922 in Topeka, KS. That's a gap of about 1%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Topeka, KS, where all-in costs run around $1,922, than in San Jose at $1,938. In Topeka, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Topeka, KS – 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 Topeka, KS. 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.