Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,720 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

Jump to prices

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,720

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: San Jose is 8.1% cheaper than the United States without rent, and 22.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: San Jose is 9.8% cheaper than the United States without rent, and 21.8% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.37 ₡5,563

$19.75 $19.75

-37.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 ₡28.0K

$79.3 $79.3

-21.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 ₡5,264

$11.78 $11.78

-0.59%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$5.62 $5.62

-19.22%

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

$2.75 ₡1,238

$2.68 $2.68

2.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡837

$2.10 $2.10

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,505

$5.98 $5.98

-43.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,944

$7.89 $7.89

-45.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₡1,061

$1.09 $1.09

116.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₡1,379

$3.61 $3.61

-14.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,128

$4.61 $4.61

-45.55%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$4.34 $4.34

-18.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 ₡4,738

$12.86 $12.86

-18.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,754

$12.50 $12.50

-15.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,261

$17.41 $17.41

-20.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 ₡2,338

$5.42 $5.42

-4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡740

$1.66 $1.66

-0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 ₡2,198

$4.39 $4.39

11.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,728

$4.96 $4.96

-22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,757

$2.85 $2.85

37.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,692

$3.06 $3.06

22.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.29 $2.29

-51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₡1,447

$2.30 $2.30

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 ₡2,706

$11.01 $11.01

-45.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.84 ₡8,919

$14.94 $14.94

32.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,264

$2.13 $2.13

31.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ₡1,643

$3.79 $3.79

-3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡487

$2.04 $2.04

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₡29.3K

$59.1 $59.1

10.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$3.48 $3.48

-35.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡799

$1.89 $1.89

-5.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ₡3,551

$29.76 $29.76

-73.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡673

$1.08 $1.08

38.89%

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

$33.5K ₡15.1M

$28.0K $28.0K

19.75%

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

$42.3K ₡19.0M

$25.8K $25.8K

64.01%

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

$93.2 ₡41.9K

$217 $217

-57.00%

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

$36.13 ₡16.2K

$62.7 $62.7

-42.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$73.0 $73.0

-17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 ₡31.0K

$42.08 $42.08

63.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

$23.10 $23.10

7.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ₡3,449

$14.77 $14.77

-48.07%

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

$972 ₡436.9K

$1,490 $1,490

-34.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K ₡8.5M

$21.7K $21.7K

-13.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 ₡31.8K

$53.5 $53.5

31.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 ₡25.5K

$42.69 $42.69

32.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.8K

$92.7 $92.7

38.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$117 $117

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 ₡525.9K

$1,671 $1,671

-30.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 ₡424.1K

$1,338 $1,338

-29.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ₡892.0K

$2,723 $2,723

-27.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 ₡629.5K

$2,131 $2,131

-34.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₡1.2M

$3,269 $3,269

-17.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,037 ₡915.8K

$2,553 $2,553

-20.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 ₡443.6K

$4,253 $4,253

-76.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.57

31.20%

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

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Last update for the United States: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$943 44.8%

United States

$1.3K 49.2% 41.8% $395

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 19.1%

United States

$415 15.3% 3.1% $12

Eating Out

San Jose

$232 11%

United States

$326 12% 40.1% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$190 9%

United States

$352 13% 85.6% $163

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 8.3%

United States

$137 5.1% 21% $37

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$84 4%

United States

$72 2.6% 15% $13

Getting Around

San Jose

$81 3.8%

United States

$80 3% 0.7% $0.5

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

15:23 3:23 PM

16:23 4:23 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 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 November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose United States 2,870 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
United States

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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