Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, MI and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,656 in Washington, MI, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Washington, MI
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Washington, MI Living Index
101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Washington, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,656

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,656 per month in Washington, MI vs $2,107 in San Jose, rent included.

Washington, MI $2,656
San Jose $2,107

A couple spends around $3,635 per month in Washington, MI vs $3,081 in San Jose, rent included.

Washington, MI $3,635
San Jose $3,081

A family of three spends $4,614 per month in Washington, MI vs $4,054 in San Jose, rent included.

Washington, MI $4,614
San Jose $4,054

Washington, MI costs about 26% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Washington, MI and San Jose sit above the global median – Washington, MI by 96%, San Jose by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.02 $18.02

$12.37 ₡5,563

45.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.03 $45.03

$62.4 ₡28.0K

-27.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 $8.97

$11.71 ₡5,264

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$4.54 ₡2,040

27.75%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$2.75 ₡1,238

-28.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.86 ₡837

5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.35 ₡1,505

76.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$4.32 ₡1,944

87.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$2.36 ₡1,061

-69.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.07 ₡1,379

13.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.51 ₡1,128

72.11%

Eggs

$1.46 $1.46

$3.53 ₡1,585

-58.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$10.54 ₡4,738

32.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$10.57 ₡4,754

16.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.58 $19.58

$13.92 ₡6,261

40.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.20 ₡2,338

2.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.65 ₡740

-1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.89 ₡2,198

-15.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.84 ₡1,728

1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.91 ₡1,757

-31.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.76 ₡1,692

-16.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.12 ₡504

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.22 ₡1,447

-36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 $10.03

$6.02 ₡2,706

66.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$19.84 ₡8,919

-23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.81 ₡1,264

-12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.65 ₡1,643

-3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.08 ₡487

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 $57.6

$65.2 ₡29.3K

-11.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.26 ₡1,018

22.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.78 ₡799

-20.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.50 $25.50

$7.90 ₡3,551

222.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.50 ₡673

-32.00%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$33.5K ₡15.1M

4.28%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$42.3K ₡19.0M

-39.01%

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

$216 $216

$93.2 ₡41.9K

131.76%

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

$64.2 $64.2

$36.13 ₡16.2K

77.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$60.6 ₡27.2K

20.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 $40.72

$68.9 ₡31.0K

-40.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 $9.98

$7.67 ₡3,449

30.12%

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

$1,027 $1,027

$972 ₡436.9K

5.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$18.9K ₡8.5M

7.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$70.6 ₡31.8K

-15.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.12 $38.12

$56.7 ₡25.5K

-32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$129 ₡57.8K

-25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$131 ₡58.8K

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$1,170 ₡525.9K

37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 $1,326

$943 ₡424.1K

40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 $2,865

$1,984 ₡892.0K

44.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,867 $1,867

$1,400 ₡629.5K

33.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 $2,639

$2,681 ₡1.2M

-1.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,037 ₡915.8K

20.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,009 $6,009

$987 ₡443.6K

509.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

8.62

-22.27%

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

Last update for Washington, MI: 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

Washington, MI

$1.3K 49.9%

San Jose

$943 44.8% 28.9% $383

Groceries & Markets

Washington, MI

$397 15%

San Jose

$403 19.1% 1.4% $5.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Washington, MI

$353 13.3%

San Jose

$190 9% 46.3% $164

Eating Out

Washington, MI

$302 11.4%

San Jose

$232 11% 23.1% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Washington, MI

$140 5.3%

San Jose

$174 8.3% 24.6% $34

Getting Around

Washington, MI

$76 2.9%

San Jose

$81 3.8% 5.7% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Washington, MI

$61 2.3%

San Jose

$84 4% 38.9% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Washington, MI 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 Washington, MI are about 6.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Washington, MI versus $62 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $403 – making Washington, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Washington, MI

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

06:13 6:13 AM

05:13 5:13 AM

1 h behind Washington, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

672,228

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.22 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 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Washington, MI San Jose 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Washington, MI
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

Washington, MI vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Washington, MI is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,984 per month in Washington, MI and $3,161 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,170 there versus $1,608 in Washington, MI.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,656 in Washington, MI and $2,107 in San Jose. That makes San Jose about 21% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,027 per month in Washington, MI and $972 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Washington, MI at $2,656. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Washington, MI 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, Washington, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.