Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between West Plains, MO and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,444 in West Plains, MO, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in West Plains, MO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

123

Cost of Living Index in West Plains, MO
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West Plains, MO Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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West Plains, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,444

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,444 per month in West Plains, MO vs $1,924 in San Jose, rent included.

West Plains, MO $2,444
San Jose $1,924

A couple spends around $3,577 per month in West Plains, MO vs $2,926 in San Jose, rent included.

West Plains, MO $3,577
San Jose $2,926

A family of three spends $4,710 per month in West Plains, MO vs $3,929 in San Jose, rent included.

West Plains, MO $4,710
San Jose $3,929

West Plains, MO costs about 27% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both West Plains, MO and San Jose sit above the global median – West Plains, MO by 80%, San Jose by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.86 $16.86

$12.29 ₡5,513

37.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$62.3 ₡27.9K

21.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.91 $10.91

$11.53 ₡5,171

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$4.35 ₡1,953

18.16%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.64 ₡1,183

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.86 ₡836

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 $5.44

$3.32 ₡1,490

63.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.52 ₡2,026

44.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.39 ₡1,073

-54.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.08 ₡1,381

-11.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.50 ₡1,119

7.60%

Eggs

$3.51 $3.51

$3.48 ₡1,562

0.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 $10.12

$10.74 ₡4,815

-5.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.08 $12.08

$10.32 ₡4,629

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.83 $22.83

$14.10 ₡6,325

61.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$5.03 ₡2,256

-2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.59 ₡714

-11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.84 ₡2,171

-7.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.96 ₡1,776

-5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.76 ₡1,684

-27.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$3.73 ₡1,674

-32.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.08 ₡485

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.25 ₡1,456

-41.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.38 $9.38

$5.86 ₡2,627

60.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 $13.62

$20.28 ₡9,095

-32.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.90 ₡1,300

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.73 ₡1,673

-53.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.08 ₡486

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.50 ₡1,123

1.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.63 ₡732

-9.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.44 $24.44

$8.71 ₡3,904

180.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.58 ₡709

-41.77%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

-17.55%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-36.76%

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

$218 $218

$93.7 ₡42.0K

132.59%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$35.42 ₡15.9K

69.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$60.0 ₡26.9K

14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 $45.73

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 $13.09

$7.74 ₡3,471

69.12%

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

$1,049 $1,049

$1,005 ₡450.9K

4.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

$16.9K ₡7.6M

12.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-30.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 $39.46

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-28.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 $83.5

$128 ₡57.5K

-34.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$130 ₡58.5K

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 $1,592

$932 ₡418.0K

70.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 $1,196

$760 ₡340.8K

57.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,814 $2,814

$1,922 ₡862.0K

46.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$1,276 ₡572.1K

53.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,467 $2,467

$2,301 ₡1.0M

7.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,124 $2,124

$1,833 ₡821.9K

15.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

8.62

-21.69%

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

Last update for West Plains, MO: October 20, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

West Plains, MO

$1.2K 48.9%

San Jose

$760 39.5% 36.5% $436

Groceries & Markets

West Plains, MO

$375 15.3%

San Jose

$403 21% 7.5% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

West Plains, MO

$347 14.2%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 45.4% $157

Eating Out

West Plains, MO

$291 11.9%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 21.3% $62

Clothing & Footwear

West Plains, MO

$145 5.9%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 20.1% $29

Sport & Entertainment

West Plains, MO

$72 2.9%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 22.5% $16

Getting Around

West Plains, MO

$19 * 0.8%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 333% $62

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in West Plains, MO versus $932 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in West Plains, MO versus $62.0 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $375 in West Plains, MO vs $403 in San Jose – so West Plains, MO wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 West Plains, MO

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

09:49 9:49 AM

08:49 8:49 AM

1 h behind West Plains, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,184

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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 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

West Plains, MO San Jose 3,080 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

West Plains, MO
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

West Plains, MO vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – West Plains, MO is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,667 per month in West Plains, MO and $2,886 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,444 in West Plains, MO and $1,924 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 27%.

Kindergarten costs $1,049 per month in West Plains, MO and $1,005 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 $1,924, than in West Plains, MO at $2,444. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in West Plains, MO 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, West Plains, MO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.