Cost of living in San Jose

San Jose, Costa Rica is Affordable overall. Monthly costs are about $1239 for one person and $3174 for a family of four, including rent.

How expensive is San Jose compared to other cities?

Overall living costs in San Jose are 13% cheaper than the European benchmark.

How does San Jose compare to your city?

San Jose is 1% more expensive than Columbus, without rent.

Rent in San Jose is, on average, 59% lower than in Columbus.

What drives the cost of living in San Jose?

Who is San Jose a good fit for?

San Jose is a better match for people who prioritize lifestyle benefits and can afford the premium driven by rent & utilities and food. For most moderate-income households, housing costs are the main barrier.

FAQ

Why is San Jose so expensive?

The main driver of expenses in San Jose is rent & utilities, which can be higher than in other areas. This can impact overall affordability for some residents.

Is food expensive in San Jose?

Food costs in San Jose are 1% higher than the European benchmark, making them relatively manageable. Residents can find a variety of options to suit different budgets.

Is public transport affordable in San Jose?

Public transport costs are 0% higher than the European benchmark, indicating that they remain reasonable for most users. This helps maintain accessibility throughout the city.

Cost of living breakdown

Cost of Living, one person, including rent
1239 $
Without Rent
684 $
Rent & Utilities
555 $
Food
479 $
Transport
75 $
Monthly Salary, after tax
923 $
GDP per Capita
16,595 $
Freedom Index
8.04
Lifespan
77 years
Speak English
8%
Population
342.0K

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Update Prices

Restaurants

Lunch menu, inexpensive restaurant 10.6 $
Dinner 49.2 $
Fast food, McDonalds or KFC 9.49 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 3.03 $
Capuccino 4.75 $
Coke, 330ml 1.91 $

Compare San Jose with:

Markets

Milk, 1 L or 1 qt 1.93 $
Bread, 0.5 kg or 1 lb 2.27 $
Rice, 1 kg or 2 lb 1.93 $
Eggs, 12 pack 3.34 $
Cheese, 1 kg or 2 lb 10.2 $
Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2 lb 9.11 $
Round Steak, 1 kg or 2 lb 14 $
Apples, 1 kg or 2 lb 3.89 $
Banana, 1 kg or 2 lb 1.37 $
Oranges, 1 kg or 2 lb 3.47 $
Tomato, 1 kg or 2 lb 2.75 $
Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 2.6 $
Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 2.6 $
Water, 1 L or 1 qt 1.68 $
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz 3.05 $
Wine, 750 mL bottle 16.5 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 2.28 $
Cigarette pack 4.96 $

Transportation

One-way Ticket 0.94 $
Monthly Pass 40.8 $
Gas or Petrol, 1l or 0.26 gal 1.41 $
Taxi, 8 km 15.2 $

Personal Care

Doctor Visit, private clinic 66.7 $
Cold medicine, for 1 week 8.1 $
Hair Shampoo, 400 ml or 12 oz. 6.99 $
Toilet paper, 4 rolls 2.75 $
Toothpaste, 1 tube 3.91 $

Utilities per Month

1 person, electricity, heating, water & garbage 48 $
Family of 4, electricity, heating, water & garbage 74 $
Internet plan, +60 Mbps 44.7 $

Rent per Month

1 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 40 sq.m 417 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 85 sq.m 842 $
1 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 40 sq.m 645 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 85 sq.m 1,229 $

Buy Apartment Price

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment, in city center 1,929 $
Price per Square Meter to Buy House, in suburbs 1,54 $

Salaries and Financing

Average Monthly Net Salary, after tax 923 $
Mortgage Interest Rate, for 20 years fixed-rate 11.24%

Sports and Leisure

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 55.9 $
Cinema, 1 seat 8.01 $
Haircut 12.8 $

Clothing and Shoes

Brand Sneakers, mid-range, Nike or similar 119 $
Brand Jeans, Levis 501 70.6 $

Childcare

Preschool, full day, monthly for 1 child 501 $
International Primary School, yearly for 1 child 12,846 $

Compare San Jose with other top cities

Cayman Islands
San Jose vs George Town (George Town is 194% more expensive)
Bahamas
San Jose vs Nassau (Nassau is 122% more expensive) San Jose vs Freeport (Freeport is 77% more expensive)
Vanuatu
San Jose vs Port Vila (Port Vila is 90% more expensive) San Jose vs Luganville (Luganville is 146% more expensive)
United States
San Jose vs New York City (New York City is 227% more expensive) San Jose vs Los Angeles (Los Angeles is 157% more expensive) San Jose vs Chicago (Chicago is 115% more expensive) San Jose vs Houston (Houston is 81% more expensive) San Jose vs Phoenix (Phoenix is 91% more expensive) San Jose vs Philadelphia (Philadelphia is 105% more expensive) San Jose vs San Antonio (San Antonio is 77% more expensive) San Jose vs San Diego (San Diego is 170% more expensive) San Jose vs Dallas (Dallas is 106% more expensive) San Jose vs San Jose (San Jose is 197% more expensive)
Canada
San Jose vs Toronto (Toronto is 108% more expensive) San Jose vs Montreal (Montreal is 58% more expensive) San Jose vs Calgary (Calgary is 73% more expensive) San Jose vs Ottawa (Ottawa is 80% more expensive) San Jose vs Edmonton (Edmonton is 44% more expensive) San Jose vs Winnipeg (Winnipeg is 42% more expensive) San Jose vs Mississauga (Mississauga is 100% more expensive) San Jose vs Vancouver (Vancouver is 114% more expensive) San Jose vs Brampton (Brampton is 72% more expensive) San Jose vs Hamilton (Hamilton is 74% more expensive)
Barbados
San Jose vs Bridgetown (Bridgetown is 10% more expensive) San Jose vs Holetown (Holetown is 12% more expensive)
Panama
San Jose vs Panama City (Panama City is 12% more expensive) San Jose vs Colon (Colon is 5% less expensive) San Jose vs Tocumen (Tocumen is 1% less expensive) San Jose vs Santiago de Veraguas (Santiago de Veraguas is 15% less expensive) San Jose vs David (David is 33% less expensive) San Jose vs La Chorrera (La Chorrera is 23% less expensive) San Jose vs Balboa (Balboa is 1% more expensive) San Jose vs Pacora (Pacora is 1% more expensive) San Jose vs Chitre (Chitre is 12% less expensive) San Jose vs Penonome (Penonome is 11% less expensive)
Saint Kitts And Nevis
San Jose vs Basseterre (Basseterre is 0% more expensive) San Jose vs Cayon (Cayon is 0% more expensive)
Cuba
San Jose vs Havana (Havana is 17% less expensive) San Jose vs Santiago de Cuba (Santiago de Cuba is 14% more expensive) San Jose vs Holguin (Holguin is 3% more expensive) San Jose vs Camaguey (Camaguey is 23% more expensive) San Jose vs Santa Clara (Santa Clara is 15% less expensive) San Jose vs Bayamo (Bayamo is 6% less expensive) San Jose vs Guantanamo (Guantanamo is 26% more expensive) San Jose vs Las Tunas (Las Tunas is 26% more expensive) San Jose vs Pinar del Rio (Pinar del Rio is 12% less expensive) San Jose vs Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos is 29% less expensive)
Costa Rica
San Jose vs San Jose (San Jose has similar costs) San Jose vs Limon (Limon is 3% less expensive) San Jose vs Liberia (Liberia is 28% less expensive) San Jose vs Alajuela (Alajuela is 0% less expensive) San Jose vs Puntarenas (Puntarenas is 3% more expensive) San Jose vs Cartago (Cartago is 22% less expensive) San Jose vs Heredia (Heredia is 1% more expensive) San Jose vs Tamarindo (Tamarindo is 36% more expensive) San Jose vs Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa is 6% more expensive)
Saint Lucia
San Jose vs Castries (Castries is 6% less expensive) San Jose vs Vieux Fort (Vieux Fort is 3% less expensive)
Jamaica
San Jose vs Kingston (Kingston is 7% more expensive) San Jose vs Spanish Town (Spanish Town is 37% less expensive) San Jose vs Montego Bay (Montego Bay is 18% less expensive) San Jose vs Half Way Tree (Half Way Tree is 6% less expensive) San Jose vs May Pen (May Pen is 34% less expensive) San Jose vs Mandeville (Mandeville is 21% less expensive) San Jose vs Old Harbour (Old Harbour is 31% less expensive) San Jose vs Linstead (Linstead is 16% less expensive) San Jose vs Savanna-la-Mar (Savanna-la-Mar is 9% less expensive) San Jose vs Port Antonio (Port Antonio is 8% less expensive)
El Salvador
San Jose vs San Salvador (San Salvador is 4% less expensive) San Jose vs Santa Ana (Santa Ana is 43% less expensive) San Jose vs Soyapango (Soyapango is 5% less expensive) San Jose vs San Miguel (San Miguel is 13% less expensive) San Jose vs Mejicanos (Mejicanos is 6% less expensive) San Jose vs Apopa (Apopa is 8% less expensive) San Jose vs Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla is 3% less expensive) San Jose vs Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan is 17% more expensive) San Jose vs Usulutan (Usulutan is 12% less expensive) San Jose vs Sonsonate (Sonsonate is 29% less expensive)
Antigua And Barbuda
San Jose vs St. John's (St. John's is 13% less expensive) San Jose vs All Saints (All Saints is 13% less expensive)
Grenada
San Jose vs St. George's (St. George's is 14% less expensive) San Jose vs Grenville (Grenville is 14% less expensive)
Dominica
San Jose vs Roseau (Roseau is 19% less expensive) San Jose vs Portsmouth (Portsmouth is 8% less expensive)
Saint Vincent
San Jose vs Kingstown (Kingstown is 21% less expensive) San Jose vs Georgetown (Georgetown is 19% less expensive)
Belize
San Jose vs Belize City (Belize City is 29% less expensive) San Jose vs San Ignacio (San Ignacio is 12% less expensive) San Jose vs Belmopan (Belmopan is 41% less expensive) San Jose vs San Pedro Town (San Pedro Town is 8% more expensive) San Jose vs Caye Caulker (Caye Caulker is 27% more expensive)
Guatemala
San Jose vs Guatemala City (Guatemala City is 19% less expensive) San Jose vs Mixco (Mixco is 48% less expensive) San Jose vs Coban (Coban is 26% less expensive) San Jose vs Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango is 37% less expensive) San Jose vs Jalapa (Jalapa is 27% less expensive) San Jose vs San Miguel Petapa (San Miguel Petapa is 27% less expensive) San Jose vs Momostenango (Momostenango is 30% less expensive) San Jose vs Mazatenango (Mazatenango is 30% less expensive) San Jose vs Flores (Flores is 31% less expensive) San Jose vs Panajachel (Panajachel is 36% less expensive)
Honduras
San Jose vs Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa is 33% less expensive) San Jose vs San Pedro Sula (San Pedro Sula is 16% less expensive) San Jose vs Choloma (Choloma is 52% less expensive) San Jose vs La Ceiba (La Ceiba is 48% less expensive) San Jose vs El Progreso (El Progreso is 29% less expensive) San Jose vs Villanueva (Villanueva is 30% less expensive) San Jose vs Comayagua (Comayagua is 42% less expensive) San Jose vs Puerto Cortes (Puerto Cortes is 42% less expensive) San Jose vs Yoro (Yoro is 41% less expensive) San Jose vs La Lima (La Lima is 30% less expensive)
Dominican Republic
San Jose vs Santiago de los Caballeros (Santiago de los Caballeros is 36% less expensive) San Jose vs Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo is 16% less expensive) San Jose vs Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata is 38% less expensive) San Jose vs Higuey (Higuey is 38% less expensive) San Jose vs La Vega (La Vega is 54% less expensive) San Jose vs San Cristobal (San Cristobal is 33% less expensive) San Jose vs San Pedro de Macoris (San Pedro de Macoris is 41% less expensive) San Jose vs San Francisco de Macoris (San Francisco de Macoris is 57% less expensive) San Jose vs San Juan de la Maguana (San Juan de la Maguana is 50% less expensive) San Jose vs Bonao (Bonao is 56% less expensive)
Nicaragua
San Jose vs Managua (Managua is 38% less expensive) San Jose vs Leon (Leon is 48% less expensive) San Jose vs Masaya (Masaya is 43% less expensive) San Jose vs Matagalpa (Matagalpa is 56% less expensive) San Jose vs Chinandega (Chinandega is 49% less expensive) San Jose vs Esteli (Esteli is 52% less expensive) San Jose vs Granada (Granada is 44% less expensive) San Jose vs Jinotega (Jinotega is 63% less expensive) San Jose vs Juigalpa (Juigalpa is 46% less expensive) San Jose vs San Juan del Sur (San Juan del Sur is 28% less expensive)