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
$1454
$2027
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3624
$4444
🏠 One person rent
$697
$1179
🏘️ Family rent
$1213
$1861
🍽️ Food expenses
$527
$597
🚐 Transport expenses
$78.6
$119
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$935
$3200
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
7 km
3 km
🎓 Higher education
60
52
😀 Quality of life
72
87
🏙️ Population
335K
342K

The cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 28% less expensive than in San Juan. Cities ranked 4213th and 1962nd ($1454 vs $2027) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 1539th 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 0.6 months in San Jose, Costa Rica compared to 1.6 months in San Juan. San Jose, Costa Rica ranked 1st best city to live in Costa Rica vs San Juan ranked 120th in the United States, while ranked 3173rd and 386th 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
$11.2
$16.1
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$51
$68.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$10.4
$10.6
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.9
$3.02
☕ Cappuccino
$4.68
$4.54
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.14
$2.13
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$821
$1620
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$531
$728
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1484
$2146
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$973
$1306
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$54.9
$214
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$83.8
$329
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$53.3
$58.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
9.69%
6.43%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2465
$5056
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1757
$2588
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1
$1.27
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$48.8
$40.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$15.1
$34.5
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.41
$0.87
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.26
$2.14
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.62
$3.17
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.38
$2.49
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.03
$6.52
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.5
$13.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.94
$9.71
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.4
$12.6
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.34
$4.87
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.57
$2.59
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.35
$4.45
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.48
$5.72
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.75
$2.61
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.18
$2.5
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.93
$1.09
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.28
$1.61
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$20.3
$19.9
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.64
$2.86
🚬 Cigarette pack
$5.46
$12.6
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$8.15
$11.6
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$9.92
$8.07
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.47
$4.23
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.31
$3.59
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$59.8
$40.7
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.93
$10.6
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$96.4
$56
💇 Haircut, simple
$15.9
$22.5
👖 Brand Jeans
$67.6
$50.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$129
$126
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$704
$533
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$14663
$12077

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Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1378
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1323
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$1290
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$825
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1332
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1273
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$957
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1832
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$840
246 km or 153 mi David
$922
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$782
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$699
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$812
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$796
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$679
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1122
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$470
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$754
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$687
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$1153
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$787
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$1154
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1179
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$977
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1425
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1583
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1403
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1395
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$863
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1120
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1109
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$705
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$737
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1274
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1246
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1237
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1221
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1178
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$626
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$804

Cities near San Juan

Distance City Cost of living
5.5 km or 3.4 mi Catano
$1931
9.9 km or 6.2 mi Guaynabo
$1651
11 km or 6.8 mi Trujillo Alto
$1506
11 km or 7.1 mi Bayamon
$1789
13 km or 7.8 mi Carolina
$1485
19 km or 12 mi Canovanas
$1753
20 km or 13 mi Toa Alta
$1764
21 km or 13 mi Dorado
$1887
24 km or 15 mi Gurabo
$1189
24 km or 15 mi Caguas
$1375
25 km or 16 mi Naranjito
$1585
26 km or 16 mi Rio Grande
$1716
28 km or 18 mi Vega Alta
$1549
29 km or 18 mi Corozal
$1764
32 km or 20 mi Cidra
$1785
34 km or 21 mi Vega Baja
$1679
36 km or 23 mi Las Piedras
$1667
39 km or 24 mi Cayey
$1826
42 km or 26 mi Humacao
$1299
42 km or 26 mi Orocovis
$1738
43 km or 27 mi Naguabo
$1683
44 km or 27 mi Manati
$1687
46 km or 28 mi Fajardo
$1583
49 km or 30 mi Yabucoa
$1710
51 km or 32 mi Guayama
$1572
51 km or 32 mi Coamo
$1583
65 km or 40 mi Santa Isabel
$1271
69 km or 43 mi Arecibo
$1345
70 km or 43 mi Utuado
$1728
77 km or 48 mi Ponce
$1369
80 km or 50 mi Hatillo
$1696
92 km or 57 mi Quebradillas
$1610
95 km or 59 mi Yauco
$1690
98 km or 61 mi San Sebastian
$1628
103 km or 64 mi Sabana Grande
$1675
106 km or 66 mi Isabela
$1473
111 km or 69 mi San German
$1663
115 km or 71 mi Aguadilla
$1209
117 km or 72 mi Mayaguez
$1457
118 km or 74 mi Charlotte Amalie
$2022