Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stillwater, MN and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,884 in Stillwater, MN, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Stillwater, MN
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Stillwater, MN Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Stillwater, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,884

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,884 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Stillwater, MN $2,884
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $4,047 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Stillwater, MN $4,047
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $5,209 per month in Stillwater, MN vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Stillwater, MN $5,209
San Jose $3,934

Stillwater, MN costs about 49% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Stillwater, MN and San Jose sit above the global median – Stillwater, MN by 114%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 $17.57

$12.38 ₡5,551

41.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$60.9 ₡27.3K

33.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.45 ₡5,135

5.85%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$4.39 ₡1,967

33.26%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.70 ₡1,211

14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.93 ₡864

17.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.20 ₡1,433

114.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$4.41 ₡1,979

82.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.44 ₡1,093

-63.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.05 ₡1,369

18.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$2.41 ₡1,081

169.29%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$3.40 ₡1,523

5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 $10.24

$10.75 ₡4,823

-4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.54 $13.54

$10.43 ₡4,679

29.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.88 $18.88

$13.99 ₡6,273

34.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.25 ₡2,353

-14.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.59 ₡712

13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$4.69 ₡2,103

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.95 ₡1,770

32.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.92 ₡1,760

9.95%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.68 ₡1,651

13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.12 ₡503

104.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.19 ₡1,429

-18.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.94 $12.94

$6.00 ₡2,692

115.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$19.56 ₡8,771

-19.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.82 ₡1,263

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.59 ₡1,611

61.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.9 $82.9

$66.8 ₡30.0K

24.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.50 ₡1,119

102.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.63 ₡733

6.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.82 $23.82

$8.50 ₡3,812

180.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.56 ₡701

-35.26%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

61.04%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-28.45%

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

$131 $131

$95.2 ₡42.7K

37.78%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$35.58 ₡16.0K

53.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$58.6 ₡26.3K

13.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$127 $127

$72.7 ₡32.6K

74.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.50 $34.50

$24.85 ₡11.1K

38.83%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 $15.54

$7.58 ₡3,401

105.01%

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

$1,383 $1,383

$1,001 ₡449.0K

38.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.8K $35.8K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

109.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.66 $44.66

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 $90.5

$130 ₡58.2K

-30.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.40 $49.40

$131 ₡58.7K

-62.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 $1,492

$927 ₡415.8K

60.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 $1,512

$774 ₡347.2K

95.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$1,967 ₡882.0K

12.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 $2,083

$1,288 ₡577.6K

61.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,067 $3,067

$2,274 ₡1.0M

34.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,899 $2,899

$1,831 ₡821.0K

58.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,855 $6,855

$1,016 ₡455.8K

574.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

8.62

-23.43%

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

Last update for Stillwater, MN: 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

Stillwater, MN

$1.5K 52.4%

San Jose

$774 40% 48.8% $738

Groceries & Markets

Stillwater, MN

$437 15.2%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 8.2% $36

Eating Out

Stillwater, MN

$319 11.1%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 28.1% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stillwater, MN

$253 8.8%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 25% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Stillwater, MN

$158 5.5%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 44.3% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Stillwater, MN

$109 3.8%

San Jose

$174 9% 59% $65

Getting Around

Stillwater, MN

$97 * 3.4%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 15.1% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,492 in Stillwater, MN 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 575% higher in Stillwater, MN, 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 Stillwater, MN versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $437 vs $401 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Stillwater, MN

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

19:18 7:18 PM

18:18 6:18 PM

1 h behind Stillwater, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,818

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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 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

Stillwater, MN San Jose 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Stillwater, MN
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

Stillwater, MN vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stillwater, MN is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,327 per month in Stillwater, MN 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 Stillwater, MN 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 $2,884 in Stillwater, MN and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 49%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Stillwater, MN at $2,884. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stillwater, MN 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stillwater, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.