Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between SeaTac, WA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $3,199 in SeaTac, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

155

Cost of Living Index in SeaTac, WA
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SeaTac, WA Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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SeaTac, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,199

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in SeaTac, WA 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 SeaTac, WA and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,199 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

SeaTac, WA $3,199
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $4,502 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

SeaTac, WA $4,502
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $5,806 per month in SeaTac, WA vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

SeaTac, WA $5,806
San Jose $3,934

SeaTac, WA costs about 65% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both SeaTac, WA and San Jose sit above the global median – SeaTac, WA by 137%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$12.38 ₡5,551

103.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$60.9 ₡27.3K

33.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$11.45 ₡5,135

4.19%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.39 ₡1,967

27.56%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$2.70 ₡1,211

20.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.93 ₡864

6.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.20 ₡1,433

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.41 ₡1,979

34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.44 ₡1,093

-53.28%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.05 ₡1,369

32.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.41 ₡1,081

38.59%

Eggs

$7.05 $7.05

$3.40 ₡1,523

107.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 $14.77

$10.75 ₡4,823

37.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$10.43 ₡4,679

36.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 $17.37

$13.99 ₡6,273

24.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$5.25 ₡2,353

2.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.59 ₡712

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.69 ₡2,103

-8.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.95 ₡1,770

16.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.92 ₡1,760

-43.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.68 ₡1,651

-17.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.12 ₡503

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.19 ₡1,429

-0.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.28 $12.28

$6.00 ₡2,692

104.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 $18.19

$19.56 ₡8,771

-7.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.82 ₡1,263

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.59 ₡1,611

-44.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.12 ₡503

137.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.6 $89.6

$66.8 ₡30.0K

34.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.50 ₡1,119

1.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.63 ₡733

4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 $30.11

$8.50 ₡3,812

254.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.56 ₡701

-7.69%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

61.64%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-23.24%

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

$227 $227

$95.2 ₡42.7K

138.21%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$35.58 ₡16.0K

73.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.2 $82.2

$58.6 ₡26.3K

40.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 $35.17

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-51.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.01 $20.01

$24.85 ₡11.1K

-19.48%

Cinema Ticket

$17.63 $17.63

$7.58 ₡3,401

132.59%

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

$2,120 $2,120

$1,001 ₡449.0K

111.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K $32.3K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

88.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.02 $49.02

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-30.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.17 $22.17

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-60.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 $63.4

$130 ₡58.2K

-51.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.85 $46.85

$131 ₡58.7K

-64.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,292 $2,292

$927 ₡415.8K

147.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 $1,762

$774 ₡347.2K

127.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,882 $3,882

$1,967 ₡882.0K

97.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 $2,636

$1,288 ₡577.6K

104.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 $4,016

$2,274 ₡1.0M

76.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,930 $3,930

$1,831 ₡821.0K

114.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,146 $6,146

$1,016 ₡455.8K

504.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

8.62

-24.01%

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

Last update for SeaTac, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

SeaTac, WA

$1.8K 55.1%

San Jose

$774 40% 56.1% $988

Groceries & Markets

SeaTac, WA

$445 13.9%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 9.9% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

SeaTac, WA

$371 11.6%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 48.9% $181

Eating Out

SeaTac, WA

$357 11.2%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 35.8% $128

Getting Around

SeaTac, WA

$111 3.5%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 26.4% $29

Clothing & Footwear

SeaTac, WA

$82 2.6%

San Jose

$174 9% 113% $92

Sport & Entertainment

SeaTac, WA

$70 2.2%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 24.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,292 in SeaTac, WA versus $927 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 run about 505% higher in SeaTac, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in SeaTac, WA versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $401 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 SeaTac, WA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

21:14 9:14 PM

22:14 10:14 PM

1 h ahead of SeaTac, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,454

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

SeaTac, WA San Jose 5,490 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

SeaTac, WA
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

SeaTac, WA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – SeaTac, WA is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,798 per month in SeaTac, WA and $2,907 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, 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 $81.0 in SeaTac, WA and $61.0 in San Jose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,199 in SeaTac, WA and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 65%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in SeaTac, WA at $3,199. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in SeaTac, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Jose – 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 San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, SeaTac, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.