🇨🇷Cost of Living in San Jose

Costa Rica · Population: 342,188 · Cost Index: 42/100

Cost of Living in San Jose

Costa Rica · North America

Costa Rica's capital and largest city, San Jose sits in the fertile Central Valley surrounded by volcanic mountains. A popular base for expats drawn by the country's renowned biodiversity, universal healthcare, and pura vida lifestyle.

342,188

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $1,100 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in San Jose

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$1,100

per month

Couple

$1,650

per month

Family of 4

$2,310

per month

Student

$830

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in San Jose, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $717.50

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$650.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$420.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$1,100.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$700.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $6.58

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$7.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$35.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$7.00

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.50

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$1.80

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.30

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$2.60

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$5.50

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.00

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.10

Transportation

Avg: $6.77

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$30.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$1.20

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.80

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.20

Utilities

Avg: $43.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$75.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$15.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$40.00

Healthcare

Avg: $31.67

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$40.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$45.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$10.00

Entertainment

Avg: $11.63

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$35.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$5.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$3.00

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$3.50

Clothing

Avg: $52.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$50.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$32.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$75.00

Popular San Jose comparisons

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Frequently asked questions about San Jose

Is San Jose expensive to live in?

San Jose has a cost of living index of 42 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This puts it in the mid-range among the cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in San Jose?

A single person needs an estimated $1,100 per month to live in San Jose, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in San Jose?

San Jose's cost of living index is 42 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in San Jose?

San Jose scores 62 out of 100 for quality of life and 48 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in Costa Rica at 64 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.