San Jose, Costa Rica vs San Juan - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

San Jose San Juan
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1574
$2037
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3920
$4601
🏠 One person rent
$747
$1190
🏘️ Family rent
$1276
$1998
🍽️ Food expenses
$579
$618
🚐 Transport expenses
$85.8
$103
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1063
$2799
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
7 km
3 km
🎓 Higher education
60
52
😀 Quality of life
73
85
🏙️ Population
335K
342K

The cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 23% less expensive than in San Juan. Cities ranked 3714th and 1924th ($1574 vs $2037) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 1512th in Costa Rica and the United States, respectively. Check Costa Rica vs the United States comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.7 months in San Jose, Costa Rica compared to 1.4 months in San Juan. San Jose, Costa Rica ranked 1st best city to live in Costa Rica vs San Juan ranked 146th in the United States, while ranked 2425th and 439th among best cities to live in the world.

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Prices in San Jose, Costa Rica vs San Juan

Prices for goods and services in San Jose and San Juan are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

San Jose San Juan
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$12.8
$18.3
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$49.5
$78.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$11.8
$10.1
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.36
$2.98
☕ Cappuccino
$5.2
$3.86
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.34
$2
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$821
$1525
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$585
$752
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1456
$2444
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1048
$1389
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$58.3
$216
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$89.7
$330
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$56.7
$67.3
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
9.32%
6.54%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2299
$5774
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1800
$2975
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.09
$1.08
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$56.4
$34.3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$16
$29.2
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.45
$0.99
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.43
$2.19
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.01
$3.63
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.56
$2.45
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.5
$6.62
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.8
$12.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.83
$9.68
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.9
$12.6
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.01
$5.04
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.73
$2.6
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.77
$4.85
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.76
$5.62
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.11
$3
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.66
$2.53
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.1
$1.17
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.6
$1.61
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$23.3
$17.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.92
$3.08
🚬 Cigarette pack
$5.9
$12
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$9.27
$11.6
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$9.95
$9.09
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.95
$4.16
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.6
$3.93
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$68.5
$41.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.55
$10.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$104
$55.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$16
$22.4
👖 Brand Jeans
$70.9
$49.7
👟 Brand Sneakers
$140
$107
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$814
$606
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$16872
$12973

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Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1471
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1362
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$1361
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$872
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1228
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1325
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$1024
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1929
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$844
246 km or 153 mi David
$909
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$796
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$706
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$817
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$788
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$665
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1112
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$503
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$759
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$716
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$1147
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$791
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$1144
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1185
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$982
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1396
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1590
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1373
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1361
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$909
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1132
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1123
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$678
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$756
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1291
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1261
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1254
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1231
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1183
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$619
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$832

Cities near San Juan

Distance City Cost of living
5.5 km or 3.4 mi Catano
$1949
9.9 km or 6.2 mi Guaynabo
$1638
11 km or 6.8 mi Trujillo Alto
$1504
11 km or 7.1 mi Bayamon
$1787
13 km or 7.8 mi Carolina
$1446
19 km or 12 mi Canovanas
$1789
20 km or 13 mi Toa Alta
$1776
21 km or 13 mi Dorado
$1889
24 km or 15 mi Gurabo
$1275
24 km or 15 mi Caguas
$1370
25 km or 16 mi Naranjito
$1668
26 km or 16 mi Rio Grande
$1743
28 km or 18 mi Vega Alta
$1575
29 km or 18 mi Corozal
$1792
32 km or 20 mi Cidra
$1827
34 km or 21 mi Vega Baja
$1652
36 km or 23 mi Las Piedras
$1680
39 km or 24 mi Cayey
$1851
42 km or 26 mi Humacao
$1297
42 km or 26 mi Orocovis
$1790
43 km or 27 mi Naguabo
$1700
44 km or 27 mi Manati
$1686
46 km or 28 mi Fajardo
$1588
49 km or 30 mi Yabucoa
$1732
51 km or 32 mi Guayama
$1673
51 km or 32 mi Coamo
$1513
65 km or 40 mi Santa Isabel
$1393
69 km or 43 mi Arecibo
$1443
70 km or 43 mi Utuado
$1779
77 km or 48 mi Ponce
$1447
80 km or 50 mi Hatillo
$1737
92 km or 57 mi Quebradillas
$1611
95 km or 59 mi Yauco
$1761
98 km or 61 mi San Sebastian
$1654
103 km or 64 mi Sabana Grande
$1725
106 km or 66 mi Isabela
$1497
111 km or 69 mi San German
$1714
115 km or 71 mi Aguadilla
$1208
117 km or 72 mi Mayaguez
$1525
118 km or 74 mi Charlotte Amalie
$2120