Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Savannah, GA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $3,045 in Savannah, GA, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Savannah, GA, United States
San Jose, Costa Rica
Savannah, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,045
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Savannah, GA and in San Jose

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Savannah, GA and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,045 per month in Savannah, GA vs $2,107 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Savannah, GA $3,045
  • San Jose $2,107

A couple spends around $4,227 per month in Savannah, GA vs $3,081 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Savannah, GA $4,227
  • San Jose $3,081

A family of three spends $5,410 per month in Savannah, GA vs $4,054 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Savannah, GA $5,410
  • San Jose $4,054

Savannah, GA costs about 45% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Savannah, GA and San Jose sit above the global median – Savannah, GA by 125%, San Jose by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.77 $19.77
$12.37 ₡5,563
59.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.3 $90.3
$62.4 ₡28.0K
44.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.86 $11.86
$11.71 ₡5,264
1.28%
Cappuccino
$6.13 $6.13
$4.54 ₡2,040
35.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 $3.57
$2.75 ₡1,238
29.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.86 ₡837
64.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.06 $6.06
$3.35 ₡1,505
80.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.55 $8.55
$4.32 ₡1,944
97.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 $0.93
$2.36 ₡1,061
-60.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 $2.68
$3.07 ₡1,379
-12.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.02 $4.02
$2.51 ₡1,128
60.16%
Eggs
$3.87 $3.87
$3.53 ₡1,585
9.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.86 $13.86
$10.54 ₡4,738
31.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.92 $7.92
$10.57 ₡4,754
-25.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.55 $18.55
$13.92 ₡6,261
33.26%
Apples (1kg)
$9.46 $9.46
$5.20 ₡2,338
81.92%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.65 ₡740
35.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.63 $6.63
$4.89 ₡2,198
35.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.13 $6.13
$3.84 ₡1,728
59.64%
Potato (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.91 ₡1,757
10.74%
Onion (1kg)
$3.32 $3.32
$3.76 ₡1,692
-11.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.12 ₡504
150.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$3.22 ₡1,447
-39.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.74 $8.74
$6.02 ₡2,706
45.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.21 $15.21
$19.84 ₡8,919
-23.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
$2.81 ₡1,264
-22.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 $2.87
$3.65 ₡1,643
-21.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.08 ₡487
36.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.43 $49.43
$65.2 ₡29.3K
-24.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 $3.17
$2.26 ₡1,018
40.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.78 ₡799
-7.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.54 $24.54
$7.90 ₡3,551
210.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.50 ₡673
-37.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K $27.4K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-18.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-37.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$371 $371
$93.2 ₡41.9K
298.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$67.3 $67.3
$36.13 ₡16.2K
86.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.5 $83.5
$60.6 ₡27.2K
37.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.0 $53.0
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-23.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.53 $34.53
$24.94 ₡11.2K
38.45%
Cinema Ticket
$14.99 $14.99
$7.67 ₡3,449
95.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$936 $936
$972 ₡436.9K
-3.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.1K $19.1K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
1.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.96 $45.96
$70.6 ₡31.8K
-34.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.80 $44.80
$56.7 ₡25.5K
-20.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$131 $131
$129 ₡57.8K
1.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 $129
$131 ₡58.8K
-1.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,886 $1,886
$1,170 ₡525.9K
61.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,451 $1,451
$943 ₡424.1K
53.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,981 $2,981
$1,984 ₡892.0K
50.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 $2,014
$1,400 ₡629.5K
43.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,273 $3,273
$2,681 ₡1.2M
22.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,178 $2,178
$2,037 ₡915.8K
6.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Savannah, GA
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,527 $3,527
$987 ₡443.6K
257.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
8.62
-23.78%

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

Last update for Savannah, GA: November 2, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Savannah, GA
$1.5K
San Jose
$943 35% $507
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Savannah, GA
$522
San Jose
$190 63.6% $332
Groceries & Markets
Savannah, GA
$424
San Jose
$403 5% $21
Eating Out
Savannah, GA
$341
San Jose
$232 31.9% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Savannah, GA
$158
San Jose
$174 10.2% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Savannah, GA
$83
San Jose
$84 1.6% $1.3
Getting Around
Savannah, GA
$67
San Jose
$81 20.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,886 in Savannah, GA versus $1,170 in San Jose. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Savannah, GA are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Savannah, GA versus $62 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $403 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Savannah, GA
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
11:59 11:59 AM
10:59 10:59 AM
1 h behind Savannah, GA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
146,444
342,188 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Savannah, GA San Jose 2,480 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Savannah, GA
  • San Jose

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
Savannah, GA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Jose cheaper than Savannah, GA?
Yes – Savannah, GA is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,568 per month in Savannah, GA and $3,161 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,170 there versus $1,886 in Savannah, GA.
Is eating out cheaper in Savannah, GA or in San Jose?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90 in Savannah, GA and $62 in San Jose. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Savannah, GA and in San Jose?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,045 in Savannah, GA and $2,107 in San Jose. That makes San Jose about 31% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Savannah, GA or in San Jose?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Savannah, GA at $3,045. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Savannah, GA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Savannah, GA or in San Jose?
It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,107 in San Jose to $3,045 in Savannah, GA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Savannah, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Savannah, GA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?