Cost of Living Comparison Between San Ramon and Jaco Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between San Ramon and Jaco Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,530 in San Ramon versus $1,315 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,321 in San Ramon versus $2,098 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,112 in San Ramon versus $2,880 in Jaco Beach.

Living in San Ramon is roughly 16% more expensive than Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Ramon is 14% above, Jaco Beach is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 ₡2,807

$7.30 ₡3,348

-16.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₡23.8K

$39.91 ₡18.3K

30.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 ₡4,476

$8.75 ₡4,010

11.54%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₡1,752

$3.80 ₡1,742

0.53%

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

$2.07 ₡950

$1.59 ₡727

30.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡761

$0.91 ₡419

82.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 ₡1,390

$2.93 ₡1,341

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ₡2,195

$2.97 ₡1,360

61.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ₡633

$1.46 ₡670

-5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 ₡1,273

$2.03 ₡929

36.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡984

$2.13 ₡978

0.94%

Eggs

$4.71 ₡2,158

$2.46 ₡1,128

91.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 ₡4,570

$9.81 ₡4,498

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 ₡4,085

$8.20 ₡3,761

8.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.59 ₡6,230

$10.77 ₡4,937

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 ₡2,012

$4.43 ₡2,033

-0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 ₡632

$1.52 ₡697

-9.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 ₡2,008

$4.24 ₡1,942

3.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 ₡1,471

$3.15 ₡1,442

1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 ₡1,524

$1.36 ₡622

144.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 ₡1,359

$1.29 ₡590

129.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₡520

$0.86 ₡394

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 ₡1,332

$1.77 ₡811

64.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 ₡2,330

$5.39 ₡2,471

-5.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.79 ₡7,699

$13.85 ₡6,351

21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₡1,053

$2.34 ₡1,071

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,196

$1.97 ₡905

32.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡474

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ₡817

$1.79 ₡821

-0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡823

$1.84 ₡845

-2.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 ₡3,590

$8.00 ₡3,665

-2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 ₡752

$1.45 ₡667

13.10%

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

$38.0K ₡17.4M

$38.4K ₡17.6M

-1.26%

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

$33.1K ₡15.2M

$32.6K ₡14.9M

1.65%

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

$132 ₡60.5K

$71.1 ₡32.6K

85.64%

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

$40.02 ₡18.3K

$21.66 ₡9,928

84.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 ₡23.2K

$42.49 ₡19.5K

19.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.12 ₡16.1K

$47.14 ₡21.6K

-25.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.88 ₡10.9K

$23.68 ₡10.9K

0.84%

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 ₡4,599

$9.73 ₡4,460

3.08%

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

$522 ₡239.3K

$447 ₡204.8K

16.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$6,633 ₡3.0M

91.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 ₡29.0K

$62.2 ₡28.5K

1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 ₡23.4K

$52.0 ₡23.8K

-1.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₡56.7K

$125 ₡57.4K

-1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₡49.4K

$109 ₡49.8K

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 ₡347.8K

$556 ₡255.0K

36.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡269.2K

$495 ₡226.8K

18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 ₡695.3K

$1,865 ₡854.9K

-18.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 ₡445.9K

$1,044 ₡478.6K

-6.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,172 ₡537.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 ₡523.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ₡184.0K

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 Ramon: May 30, 2026

Last update for Jaco Beach: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $759 in San Ramon and $556 in Jaco Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in San Ramon vs $40.00 in Jaco Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $295 per month, with Jaco Beach cheaper across the board.

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 Ramon vs Jaco Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jaco Beach is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,296 in San Ramon and $1,972 in Jaco Beach to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $759 in San Ramon versus $556 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $522 in San Ramon versus $447 in Jaco Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaco Beach – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $52.0 in San Ramon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,315 in Jaco Beach versus $1,530 in San Ramon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaco Beach but tight or insufficient in San Ramon. The gap between the two cities makes Jaco Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jaco Beach is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Ramon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Ramon and Jaco Beach are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jaco Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in San Ramon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.