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: $1,777 in San Ramon versus $1,456 in Jaco Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,786 in San Ramon versus $2,288 in Jaco Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,795 in San Ramon versus $3,120 in Jaco Beach.

Living in San Ramon is roughly 22% more expensive than in Jaco Beach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Ramon 29% above, Jaco Beach 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.05 ₡5,393

$11.65 ₡5,213

3.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 ₡25.7K

$44.54 ₡19.9K

29.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 ₡5,288

$9.67 ₡4,329

22.13%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₡1,882

$4.06 ₡1,819

3.45%

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

$2.64 ₡1,182

$2.41 ₡1,078

9.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₡883

$1.87 ₡838

5.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 ₡1,473

$3.23 ₡1,447

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 ₡1,936

$4.29 ₡1,920

0.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 ₡1,050

$1.97 ₡882

19.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 ₡1,336

$2.22 ₡996

34.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 ₡1,103

$2.48 ₡1,112

-0.81%

Eggs

$5.33 ₡2,385

$2.63 ₡1,178

102.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 ₡4,930

$10.62 ₡4,751

3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 ₡4,738

$8.96 ₡4,008

18.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 ₡6,313

$12.14 ₡5,432

16.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 ₡2,319

$4.94 ₡2,211

4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡703

$1.57 ₡701

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 ₡1,489

$4.56 ₡2,041

-26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 ₡1,579

$3.56 ₡1,592

-0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 ₡1,408

$1.55 ₡692

103.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 ₡1,387

$1.47 ₡659

110.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ₡574

$0.95 ₡426

34.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,248

$1.92 ₡860

45.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 ₡2,643

$5.81 ₡2,601

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.66 ₡7,456

$14.11 ₡6,314

18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₡1,182

$2.61 ₡1,168

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₡1,188

$2.22 ₡996

19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡586

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,120

$2.41 ₡1,078

3.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 ₡741

$1.63 ₡730

1.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₡3,974

$8.66 ₡3,875

2.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 ₡687

$1.53 ₡683

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

$22.0K ₡9.8M

$22.3K ₡10.0M

-1.59%

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

$35.3K ₡15.8M

$34.8K ₡15.6M

1.43%

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

$143 ₡64.0K

$79.9 ₡35.8K

79.02%

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

$44.77 ₡20.0K

$24.02 ₡10.7K

86.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 ₡24.2K

$47.07 ₡21.1K

14.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 ₡32.6K

$53.9 ₡24.1K

35.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 ₡3,709

$8.19 ₡3,663

1.22%

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

$840 ₡375.8K

$483 ₡216.1K

73.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₡7.8M

$7,329 ₡3.3M

137.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 ₡31.9K

$24.95 ₡11.2K

185.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡24.9K

$56.9 ₡25.5K

-2.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.3K

$130 ₡58.1K

-1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡59.2K

$132 ₡59.0K

0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₡365.2K

$771 ₡345.0K

5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 ₡280.2K

$533 ₡238.6K

17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 ₡830.3K

$1,995 ₡892.8K

-6.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 ₡567.4K

$1,114 ₡498.6K

13.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,187 ₡531.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 ₡531.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 ₡181.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

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

Last update for San Ramon: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jaco Beach: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $816 in San Ramon and $771 in Jaco Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $57.0 in San Ramon vs $45.00 in Jaco Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $326 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,666 in San Ramon and $2,185 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: $816 in San Ramon versus $771 in Jaco Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $840 in San Ramon versus $483 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 $45.00 versus $57.0 in San Ramon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Jaco Beach versus $1,777 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 22% less than in San Ramon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.