Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Trujillo and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Trujillo: $867 a month against $1,938 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Trujillo
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Trujillo Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

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Trujillo

🇵🇪 Peru

$867

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $867 per month in Trujillo vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Trujillo $867
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $1,340 per month in Trujillo vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Trujillo $1,340
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Trujillo vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Trujillo $1,814
San Jose $3,934

Trujillo is about 55% cheaper than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Trujillo sits 36% below the global median, while San Jose is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 PEN 12.01

$12.38 ₡5,551

-71.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.64 PEN 81.2

$60.9 ₡27.3K

-61.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 PEN 24.07

$11.45 ₡5,135

-38.78%

Cappuccino

$3.25 PEN 11.17

$4.39 ₡1,967

-25.97%

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

$0.89 PEN 3.06

$2.70 ₡1,211

-67.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.12

$1.93 ₡864

-67.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 PEN 6.81

$3.20 ₡1,433

-38.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 PEN 11.89

$4.41 ₡1,979

-21.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 PEN 4.50

$2.44 ₡1,093

-46.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 PEN 7.08

$3.05 ₡1,369

-32.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.92

$2.41 ₡1,081

-52.70%

Eggs

$3.98 PEN 13.68

$3.40 ₡1,523

17.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 PEN 26.82

$10.75 ₡4,823

-27.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 PEN 22.46

$10.43 ₡4,679

-37.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 PEN 31.61

$13.99 ₡6,273

-34.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 PEN 5.74

$5.25 ₡2,353

-68.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 PEN 2.08

$1.59 ₡712

-61.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 PEN 2.06

$4.69 ₡2,103

-87.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 PEN 3.07

$3.95 ₡1,770

-77.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.42

$3.92 ₡1,760

-74.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.90

$3.68 ₡1,651

-69.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 PEN 4.24

$1.12 ₡503

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PEN 3.93

$3.19 ₡1,429

-64.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 PEN 14.49

$6.00 ₡2,692

-29.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 PEN 19.66

$19.56 ₡8,771

-70.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PEN 5.88

$2.82 ₡1,263

-39.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 PEN 5.61

$3.59 ₡1,611

-54.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 PEN 1.94

$1.12 ₡503

-49.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.65 PEN 60.6

$66.8 ₡30.0K

-73.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 PEN 8.68

$2.50 ₡1,119

1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.58

$1.63 ₡733

35.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 PEN 20.55

$8.50 ₡3,812

-29.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 PEN 5.84

$1.56 ₡701

8.97%

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

$17.5K PEN 60.2K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

-21.81%

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

$27.8K PEN 95.3K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-21.98%

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

$97.9 PEN 336

$95.2 ₡42.7K

2.83%

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

$12.84 PEN 44.08

$35.58 ₡16.0K

-63.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.05 PEN 92.9

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-53.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.49 PEN 136

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-45.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 PEN 19.89

$24.85 ₡11.1K

-76.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 PEN 15.11

$7.58 ₡3,401

-41.95%

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

$107 PEN 369

$1,001 ₡449.0K

-89.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,078 PEN 7,136

$17.1K ₡7.7M

-87.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 PEN 247

$70.5 ₡31.6K

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.35 PEN 49.28

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-74.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.03 PEN 158

$130 ₡58.2K

-64.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.97 PEN 151

$131 ₡58.7K

-66.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 PEN 1,319

$927 ₡415.8K

-58.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 PEN 869

$774 ₡347.2K

-67.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 PEN 2,555

$1,967 ₡882.0K

-62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 PEN 1,758

$1,288 ₡577.6K

-60.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,177 PEN 4,043

$2,274 ₡1.0M

-48.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 PEN 1,884

$1,016 ₡455.8K

-46.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

8.62

35.73%

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

Last update for Trujillo: October 11, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Trujillo

$253 29.2%

San Jose

$774 40% 206% $521

Groceries & Markets

Trujillo

$204 23.5%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 96.5% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Trujillo

$138 15.9%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 37.5% $52

Eating Out

Trujillo

$111 12.8%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 107% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Trujillo

$79 9.2%

San Jose

$174 9% 120% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Trujillo

$48 5.6%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 81.9% $40

Getting Around

Trujillo

$33 3.9%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 145% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $384 in Trujillo 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 85% higher in San Jose, 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 $24.00 in Trujillo versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $401 – making Trujillo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Trujillo

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

05:47 5:47 AM

1 h behind Trujillo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

314,939

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 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).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Trujillo San Jose 2,080 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Trujillo
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

Trujillo vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 124%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Trujillo 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 Trujillo, 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 $24.00 in Trujillo 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 $867 in Trujillo and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 124%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Trujillo, where all-in costs run around $867, than in San Jose at $1,938. In Trujillo it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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