Cost of Living in San José
Country: Costa Rica · Currency: CRC
Overall
40.6
Rent
28.3
Groceries
46.8
Dining out
40.0
Index base: New York = 100
Monthly rent
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,069 | 49 data points |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $777 | 50 data points |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,334 | 39 data points |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,550 | 46 data points |
Average prices in San José
Rent
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,069 | 49 data points |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $777 | 50 data points |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,334 | 39 data points |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,550 | 46 data points |
Groceries
| Milk (1L) | $0.71 | 39 data points |
| White bread (500g) | $2.04 | 55 data points |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.87 | 45 data points |
| Eggs (12) | $2.46 | 55 data points |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.04 | 50 data points |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.44 | 48 data points |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.2 | 24 data points |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.91 | 54 data points |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.01 | 52 data points |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.59 | 24 data points |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.93 | 55 data points |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.59 | 55 data points |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.33 | 41 data points |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.44 | 5 data points |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.22 | 15 data points |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.89 | 6 data points |
Transport
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.11 | 7 data points |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $53.2 | 58 data points |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.61 | 14 data points |
| Taxi, per km | $0.78 | 52 data points |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.43 | 37 data points |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $12,080 | 27 data points |
Dining out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.2 | 41 data points |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $50.3 | 40 data points |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.05 | 54 data points |
| Cappuccino | $2.48 | 46 data points |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.28 | 49 data points |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.39 | 33 data points |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.32 | 52 data points |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.88 | 55 data points |
Telecom
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.6 | 19 data points |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $40.9 | 15 data points |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | 39 data points |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.04 | 58 data points |
Utilities & household
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $80.6 | 57 data points |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | 5 data points |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.39 | 35 data points |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.65 | 38 data points |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $12 | 49 data points |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $45.3 | 54 data points |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.6 | 21 data points |
| Men's haircut | $17.5 | 57 data points |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $14.1 | 29 data points |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,152 | 41 data points |
Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15