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

Updated:

Livingcost

San Jose Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1574
$1296
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3920
$3195
🏠 One person rent
$747
$624
🏘️ Family rent
$1276
$1077
🍽️ Food expenses
$579
$438
🚐 Transport expenses
$85.8
$132
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1063
$3066
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
7 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
60
99
😀 Quality of life
73
95
🏙️ Population
335K
9.67M

The cost of living in San Jose, Costa Rica is 21% more expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 3714th and 4545th ($1574 vs $1296) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 3rd 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 0.7 months in San Jose, Costa Rica compared to 2.4 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 2425th and 16th among best cities to live in the world.

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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
$12.8
$7.13
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$49.5
$45.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$11.8
$5.97
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.36
$3.36
☕ Cappuccino
$5.2
$3.47
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.34
$1.44
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$821
$717
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$585
$459
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1456
$1281
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1048
$818
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$58.3
$98.8
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$89.7
$152
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$56.7
$14.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
9.32%
4.02%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2299
$24031
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1800
$10129
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.09
$1.01
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$56.4
$40.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$16
$7.36
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.45
$1.17
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.43
$1.82
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.01
$2.4
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.56
$2.98
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.5
$2.79
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.8
$13
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.83
$7.93
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.9
$25.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.01
$6.15
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.73
$3.06
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.77
$5.02
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.76
$4.7
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.11
$3.05
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.66
$2.37
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.1
$0.68
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.6
$1.46
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$23.3
$15.3
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.92
$1.86
🚬 Cigarette pack
$5.9
$2.98
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$9.27
$3.33
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$9.95
$3.6
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.95
$2.88
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$4.6
$1.15
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$68.5
$45.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.55
$9.18
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$104
$52.1
💇 Haircut, simple
$16
$14.3
👖 Brand Jeans
$70.9
$49.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$140
$64.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$814
$480
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$16872
$19916

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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 Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1089
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1052
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1029
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1031
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$868
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1152
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1094
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1455
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1313
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1090
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$943
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$894
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1053
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1040
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1022
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1179
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1010
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1001
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$985
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1032
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$977
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$982
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1061
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1045
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1019
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1108
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1557
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1033
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$1048
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1016
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$819
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$952
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1062
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1128
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$917
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$852
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$865
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$993
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1562
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$971