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
$1169
$2248
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3119
$4785
🏠 One person rent
$496
$1452
🏘️ Family rent
$1078
$2384
🍽️ Food expenses
$471
$576
🚐 Transport expenses
$71.8
$102
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$877
$2169
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
7 km
3 km
🎓 Higher education
60
54
😀 Quality of life
67
82
🏙️ Population
342K
342K

The cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 48% less expensive than in San Juan. Cities ranked 4518th and 1165th ($1169 vs $2248) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 1048th 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 0.8 months in San Jose, Costa Rica compared to 1 months in San Juan. San Jose, Costa Rica ranked 1st best city to live in Costa Rica vs San Juan ranked 86th in the United States, while ranked 4043rd and 365th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica vs San Juan infographic

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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
$10.8
$18.3
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$51.7
$72.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.47
$8.91
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.31
$3.67
☕ Cappuccino
$4.21
$3.95
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.78
$1.96
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$597
$1751
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$368
$1090
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1266
$2849
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$901
$1864
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$42.3
$170
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$64.2
$263
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$40
$60
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
8.83%
4.68%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1778
$3370
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1310
$2401
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.88
$1.38
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$40.7
$38.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$13.9
$27.4
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.45
$1.04
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.96
$2.34
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.32
$3.12
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.15
$2.51
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.59
$5.96
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.52
$11
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.16
$8.23
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.2
$13.5
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.79
$5.34
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.38
$2.41
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.62
$3.55
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.58
$3.84
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.45
$3.79
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.21
$2.83
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.45
$1.27
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.02
$1.91
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.1
$18.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.25
$2.27
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.81
$10.5
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$6.97
$10.4
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$8.01
$6.93
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.06
$3.66
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.18
$2.38
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$57.8
$51.3
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.43
$10.8
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$62.4
$47.5
💇 Haircut, simple
$13.6
$19.2
👖 Brand Jeans
$84.2
$50.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$113
$94.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$369
$476
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$9894
$10957

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Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1040
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1163
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$1009
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$1024
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1147
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1114
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$1220
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1473
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$805
246 km or 153 mi David
$789
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$647
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$680
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$699
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$787
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$548
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$961
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$458
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$614
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$593
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$940
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$627
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$980
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1157
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$917
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1189
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1316
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1171
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1182
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$863
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1107
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1031
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$702
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$738
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1147
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1117
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1112
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1093
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1153
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$676
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$892

Cities near San Juan

Distance City Cost of living
5.5 km or 3.4 mi Catano
$1816
9.9 km or 6.2 mi Guaynabo
$1452
11 km or 6.8 mi Trujillo Alto
$1429
11 km or 7.1 mi Bayamon
$1213
13 km or 7.8 mi Carolina
$1496
19 km or 12 mi Canovanas
$1644
20 km or 13 mi Toa Alta
$1568
21 km or 13 mi Dorado
$1341
24 km or 15 mi Gurabo
$1172
24 km or 15 mi Caguas
$1445
25 km or 16 mi Naranjito
$1512
26 km or 16 mi Rio Grande
$1611
28 km or 18 mi Vega Alta
$1498
29 km or 18 mi Corozal
$1676
32 km or 20 mi Cidra
$1500
34 km or 21 mi Vega Baja
$1726
36 km or 23 mi Las Piedras
$1468
39 km or 24 mi Cayey
$1203
42 km or 26 mi Humacao
$1578
42 km or 26 mi Orocovis
$1006
43 km or 27 mi Naguabo
$1651
44 km or 27 mi Manati
$1617
46 km or 28 mi Fajardo
$1503
49 km or 30 mi Yabucoa
$1596
51 km or 32 mi Guayama
$1523
51 km or 32 mi Coamo
$1561
65 km or 40 mi Santa Isabel
$1251
69 km or 43 mi Arecibo
$1194
70 km or 43 mi Utuado
$1571
77 km or 48 mi Ponce
$1282
80 km or 50 mi Hatillo
$779
92 km or 57 mi Quebradillas
$1447
95 km or 59 mi Yauco
$1572
98 km or 61 mi San Sebastian
$1538
103 km or 64 mi Sabana Grande
$1543
106 km or 66 mi Isabela
$1273
111 km or 69 mi San German
$1522
115 km or 71 mi Aguadilla
$1168
117 km or 72 mi Mayaguez
$1236
118 km or 74 mi Charlotte Amalie
$2185