Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Wichita Falls, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Wichita Falls, TX: $1,801 a month against $1,924 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in San Jose despite lower rent and utilities.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Wichita Falls, TX
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Wichita Falls, TX Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Wichita Falls, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,801

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Wichita Falls, TX

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 Wichita Falls, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,924 per month in San Jose vs $1,801 in Wichita Falls, TX, rent included.

San Jose $1,924
Wichita Falls, TX $1,801

A couple spends around $2,926 per month in San Jose vs $2,745 in Wichita Falls, TX, rent included.

San Jose $2,926
Wichita Falls, TX $2,745

A family of three spends $3,929 per month in San Jose vs $3,690 in Wichita Falls, TX, rent included.

San Jose $3,929
Wichita Falls, TX $3,690

San Jose costs about 7% more than Wichita Falls, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Jose and Wichita Falls, TX sit above the global median – San Jose by 42%, Wichita Falls, TX by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 ₡5,513

$14.77 $14.77

-16.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡27.9K

$59.6 $59.6

4.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 ₡5,171

$10.91 $10.91

5.68%

Cappuccino

$4.35 ₡1,953

$5.65 $5.65

-23.01%

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

$2.64 ₡1,183

$3.12 $3.12

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡836

$2.32 $2.32

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,490

$4.88 $4.88

-31.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₡2,026

$7.84 $7.84

-42.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,073

$0.96 $0.96

148.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,381

$3.05 $3.05

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$3.97 $3.97

-37.03%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,562

$4.22 $4.22

-17.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,815

$13.38 $13.38

-19.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,629

$9.04 $9.04

14.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,325

$10.99 $10.99

28.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 ₡2,256

$4.32 $4.32

16.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡714

$1.36 $1.36

16.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ₡2,171

$3.13 $3.13

54.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,776

$2.18 $2.18

81.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,684

$2.14 $2.14

75.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$2.95 $2.95

26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡485

$1.62 $1.62

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,456

$2.73 $2.73

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,627

$8.60 $8.60

-31.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 ₡9,095

$9.14 $9.14

121.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$1.10 $1.10

163.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₡1,673

$1.46 $1.46

155.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

$1.51 $1.51

-28.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

$44.22 $44.22

48.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,123

$1.27 $1.27

96.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡732

$0.87 $0.87

87.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 ₡3,904

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡709

$0.80 $0.80

97.50%

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

$33.6K ₡15.1M

$25.6K $25.6K

31.20%

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

$41.7K ₡18.7M

$25.2K $25.2K

65.26%

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

$93.7 ₡42.0K

$244 $244

-61.56%

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

$35.42 ₡15.9K

$50.8 $50.8

-30.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$61.9 $61.9

-3.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$14.78 $14.78

391.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

$19.61 $19.61

31.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 ₡3,471

$8.82 $8.82

-12.24%

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

$1,005 ₡450.9K

$2,583 $2,583

-61.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ₡32.8K

$50.9 $50.9

43.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$40.62 $40.62

36.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.5K

$66.0 $66.0

94.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.5K

$98.6 $98.6

32.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡418.0K

$1,043 $1,043

-10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡340.8K

$638 $638

19.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡862.0K

$1,414 $1,414

35.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡572.1K

$1,229 $1,229

3.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

$1,445 $1,445

59.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

$1,383 $1,383

32.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

$3,969 $3,969

-74.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.44

33.85%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Last update for Wichita Falls, TX: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$760 39.5%

Wichita Falls, TX

$638 35.4% 16% $122

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 21%

Wichita Falls, TX

$323 17.9% 20% $81

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.9%

Wichita Falls, TX

$280 15.6% 22.6% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Wichita Falls, TX

$356 19.8% 88.5% $167

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9.1%

Wichita Falls, TX

$115 6.4% 33.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Wichita Falls, TX

$32 1.8% 63.2% $56

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.2%

Wichita Falls, TX

$56 3.1% 30.6% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in San Jose versus $1,043 in Wichita Falls, TX. 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 286% higher in Wichita Falls, TX, 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 $62.0 in San Jose versus $60.0 in Wichita Falls, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $323 – making Wichita Falls, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Wichita Falls, TX

🕒 Local time

17:50 5:50 PM

18:50 6:50 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

102,316

💱 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 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).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose Wichita Falls, TX 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Wichita Falls, TX

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 Wichita Falls, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,886 per month in San Jose and $2,701 in Wichita Falls, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wichita Falls, TX, 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 $62.0 in San Jose and $60.0 in Wichita Falls, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,924 in San Jose and $1,801 in Wichita Falls, TX. That's a gap of about 7%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Wichita Falls, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,801, than in San Jose at $1,924. In Wichita Falls, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wichita Falls, TX – 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 Wichita Falls, TX. 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.