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

Updated:

Livingcost

San Jose Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1169
$1444
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3119
$4192
🏠 One person rent
$496
$683
🏘️ Family rent
$1078
$1882
🍽️ Food expenses
$471
$510
🚐 Transport expenses
$71.8
$154
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$877
$3018
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
7 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
60
100
😀 Quality of life
67
95
🏙️ Population
342K
9.67M

The cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 19% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 4518th and 3641st ($1169 vs $1444) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 1st in Costa Rica and South Korea, respectively. Check Costa Rica vs South Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.8 months in San Jose, Costa Rica compared to 2.1 months in Seoul. San Jose, Costa Rica ranked 1st best city to live in Costa Rica vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 4043rd and 23rd among best cities to live in the world.

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

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Prices in San Jose, Costa Rica vs Seoul

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

San Jose Seoul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$10.8
$6.81
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$51.7
$40.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.47
$6.01
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.31
$3.8
☕ Cappuccino
$4.21
$4.06
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.78
$1.59
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$597
$758
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$368
$492
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1266
$2529
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$901
$1473
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$42.3
$115
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$64.2
$174
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$40
$23.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
8.83%
4.76%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1778
$19740
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1310
$10956
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.88
$1.08
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$40.7
$44.4
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$13.9
$9.8
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.45
$1.24
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.96
$2.18
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.32
$3.07
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.15
$3.34
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.59
$3.82
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.52
$11.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.16
$9.89
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.2
$40
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.79
$6.59
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.38
$3.64
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.62
$6.04
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.58
$6.05
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.45
$3.94
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.21
$3.25
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.45
$0.75
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.02
$2.39
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.1
$17.9
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.25
$2.44
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.81
$3.37
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$6.97
$4.99
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$8.01
$5.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.06
$2.34
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.18
$3.07
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$57.8
$49.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.43
$11
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$62.4
$24.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$13.6
$9.53
👖 Brand Jeans
$84.2
$61.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$113
$81.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$369
$368
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$9894
$19966

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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 Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1101
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1144
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1087
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1056
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$986
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1069
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1106
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1121
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1081
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1152
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1097
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$983
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1120
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1124
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1054
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1063
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1072
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1127
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$987
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1020
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$1077
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$1041
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1256
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1088
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1024
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$949
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1542
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$973
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$924
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$986
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$911
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1002
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$880
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$940
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1005
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$1009
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$903
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$967
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1560
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$963