Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Severna Park, MD and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,709 in Severna Park, MD, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Severna Park, MD, United States
San Jose, Costa Rica
Severna Park, MD
🇺🇸 United States
$2,709
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,709 per month in Severna Park, MD vs $2,107 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Severna Park, MD $2,709
  • San Jose $2,107

A couple spends around $4,080 per month in Severna Park, MD vs $3,081 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Severna Park, MD $4,080
  • San Jose $3,081

A family of three spends $5,452 per month in Severna Park, MD vs $4,054 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Severna Park, MD $5,452
  • San Jose $4,054

Severna Park, MD costs about 29% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Severna Park, MD and San Jose sit above the global median – Severna Park, MD by 100%, San Jose by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.77 $23.77
$12.37 ₡5,563
92.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$97.3 $97.3
$62.4 ₡28.0K
56.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.05 $11.05
$11.71 ₡5,264
-5.64%
Cappuccino
$5.72 $5.72
$4.54 ₡2,040
25.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.75 ₡1,238
22.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$1.86 ₡837
31.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.15 $8.15
$3.35 ₡1,505
143.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.98 $8.98
$4.32 ₡1,944
107.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$2.36 ₡1,061
-46.61%
White Bread (500g)
$4.34 $4.34
$3.07 ₡1,379
41.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.50 $5.50
$2.51 ₡1,128
119.12%
Eggs
$5.22 $5.22
$3.53 ₡1,585
47.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.83 $12.83
$10.54 ₡4,738
21.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.65 $15.65
$10.57 ₡4,754
48.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.23 $20.23
$13.92 ₡6,261
45.33%
Apples (1kg)
$5.94 $5.94
$5.20 ₡2,338
14.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.83 $1.83
$1.65 ₡740
10.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.81 $5.81
$4.89 ₡2,198
18.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.98 $5.98
$3.84 ₡1,728
55.73%
Potato (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$3.91 ₡1,757
-16.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.93 $2.93
$3.76 ₡1,692
-22.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.12 ₡504
118.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$3.22 ₡1,447
-22.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.37 $13.37
$6.02 ₡2,706
122.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.17 $17.17
$19.84 ₡8,919
-13.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.81 ₡1,264
-4.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 $2.83
$3.65 ₡1,643
-22.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.08 ₡487
105.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.5 $60.5
$65.2 ₡29.3K
-7.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.26 ₡1,018
-22.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.78 ₡799
-10.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.81 $23.81
$7.90 ₡3,551
201.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.50 ₡673
-30.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K $28.8K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-14.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-39.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$165 $165
$93.2 ₡41.9K
76.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.6 $51.6
$36.13 ₡16.2K
42.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.1 $62.1
$60.6 ₡27.2K
2.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.75 $39.75
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-42.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$76.4 $76.4
$24.94 ₡11.2K
206.38%
Cinema Ticket
$16.62 $16.62
$7.67 ₡3,449
116.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,852 $1,852
$972 ₡436.9K
90.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.0K $24.0K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
27.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.9 $51.9
$70.6 ₡31.8K
-26.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.3 $64.3
$56.7 ₡25.5K
13.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 $91.9
$129 ₡57.8K
-28.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 $112
$131 ₡58.8K
-14.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 $1,614
$1,170 ₡525.9K
37.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 $1,281
$943 ₡424.1K
35.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,553 $2,553
$1,984 ₡892.0K
28.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,076 $2,076
$1,400 ₡629.5K
48.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,873 $2,873
$2,681 ₡1.2M
7.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,372 $2,372
$2,037 ₡915.8K
16.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Severna Park, MD
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,048 $5,048
$987 ₡443.6K
411.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.86
8.62
-20.42%

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

Last update for Severna Park, MD: November 3, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Severna Park, MD
$1.3K
San Jose
$943 26.4% $338
Groceries & Markets
Severna Park, MD
$479
San Jose
$403 15.9% $76
Eating Out
Severna Park, MD
$374
San Jose
$232 37.8% $141
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Severna Park, MD
$278
San Jose
$190 31.8% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Severna Park, MD
$144
San Jose
$174 20.8% $30
Getting Around
Severna Park, MD
$79
San Jose
$81 2.1% $1.7
Sport & Entertainment
Severna Park, MD
$73
San Jose
$84 15.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Severna Park, MD 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 Severna Park, MD are about 5.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Severna Park, MD versus $62 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $479 vs $403 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Severna Park, MD
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
14:35 2:35 PM
13:35 1:35 PM
1 h behind Severna Park, MD
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,634
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 = 0.895 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Severna Park, MD San Jose 3,330 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Severna Park, MD
  • 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
Severna Park, MD vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Jose cheaper than Severna Park, MD?
Yes – Severna Park, MD is pricier by about 29%, 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 $4,063 per month in Severna Park, MD 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 $1,614 in Severna Park, MD.
Is eating out cheaper in Severna Park, MD or in San Jose?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Severna Park, MD 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 Severna Park, MD and in San Jose?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,709 in Severna Park, MD and $2,107 in San Jose. That makes San Jose about 22% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Severna Park, MD or in San Jose?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Severna Park, MD at $2,709. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Severna Park, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Severna Park, MD or San Jose more family-friendly?
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.
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, Severna Park, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Severna Park, MD vs other spots: cost of living compared

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