Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Turrialba Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Turrialba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,590 per month in San Jose vs $1,591 in Turrialba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,489 per month in San Jose vs $2,434 in Turrialba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,388 per month in San Jose vs $3,277 in Turrialba, rent included.

San Jose and Turrialba have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both San Jose and Turrialba sit above the global median – San Jose by 19%, Turrialba by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₡4,879

$11.09 ₡4,962

-1.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 ₡26.3K

$60.5 ₡27.1K

-2.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 ₡4,500

$10.14 ₡4,538

-0.79%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₡1,738

$3.76 ₡1,684

3.19%

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

$2.07 ₡924

$1.99 ₡889

4.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₡746

$1.59 ₡709

5.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₡1,348

$3.06 ₡1,369

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 ₡2,147

$4.74 ₡2,119

1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₡892

$2.06 ₡921

-3.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,239

$2.80 ₡1,251

-1.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡961

$2.17 ₡972

-0.92%

Eggs

$2.89 ₡1,294

$2.93 ₡1,312

-1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 ₡4,329

$10.07 ₡4,503

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 ₡4,131

$9.27 ₡4,148

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 ₡6,069

$13.63 ₡6,098

-0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,954

$4.51 ₡2,019

-3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ₡654

$1.45 ₡650

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ₡1,916

$4.34 ₡1,944

-1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 ₡1,596

$3.48 ₡1,558

2.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 ₡1,535

$3.44 ₡1,540

-0.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 ₡1,413

$3.19 ₡1,427

-0.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡423

$1.03 ₡460

-7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₡1,325

$2.82 ₡1,264

4.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 ₡2,383

$5.23 ₡2,342

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.12 ₡9,895

$21.65 ₡9,686

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,132

$2.46 ₡1,099

2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₡1,293

$2.84 ₡1,270

1.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ₡449

$0.96 ₡429

4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.45 ₡18.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡837

$1.85 ₡829

1.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡833

$1.83 ₡821

1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 ₡3,493

$7.97 ₡3,564

-2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡647

$1.45 ₡649

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

$38.2K ₡17.1M

$37.2K ₡16.6M

2.74%

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

$32.9K ₡14.7M

$32.1K ₡14.3M

2.78%

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

$93.8 ₡41.9K

$93.3 ₡41.7K

0.48%

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

$25.51 ₡11.4K

$26.42 ₡11.8K

-3.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 ₡27.0K

$59.4 ₡26.6K

1.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₡25.3K

$56.4 ₡25.2K

0.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.60 ₡17.3K

$23.75 ₡10.6K

62.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 ₡4,339

$10.18 ₡4,556

-4.72%

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

$570 ₡255.0K

$570 ₡255.1K

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.7M

$12.7K ₡5.7M

0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 ₡27.7K

$62.5 ₡28.0K

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 ₡23.3K

$51.6 ₡23.1K

0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 ₡56.8K

$127 ₡56.7K

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡48.7K

$108 ₡48.2K

0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 ₡384.6K

$750 ₡335.5K

14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ₡234.8K

$590 ₡263.9K

-11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 ₡650.9K

$1,523 ₡681.1K

-4.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 ₡452.7K

$954 ₡427.0K

6.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,316 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ₡824.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,046 ₡467.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

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

Last update for San Jose: July 14, 2026

Last update for Turrialba: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in San Jose versus $750 in Turrialba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Jose versus $61.0 in Turrialba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $369 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Turrialba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,385 per month in San Jose and $2,387 in Turrialba. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in San Jose and $61.0 in Turrialba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $570 per month in San Jose and $570 in Turrialba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,590, than in Turrialba at $1,591. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Turrialba 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, Turrialba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.