San José vs San Diego Cost of Living
San José (Costa Rica) · Overall index 40.6 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 97% more expensive than San José.
- Rent in San Diego is 131% more expensive than in San José.
- Transport in San Diego is 126% more expensive than in San José.
| Item | San José | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +131% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,069 | $2,906 | +172% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $777 | $1,560 | +101% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,334 | $5,348 | +129% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,550 | $3,541 | +128% |
| Groceries | +84% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.71 | $1.29 | +82% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.04 | $3.77 | +85% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.87 | $4.26 | +48% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.46 | $4.41 | +79% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.04 | $14.8 | +110% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.44 | $12.7 | +97% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.2 | $19.1 | +87% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.91 | $5.14 | +77% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.01 | $1.82 | +80% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.59 | $3.98 | +54% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.93 | $5.15 | +76% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.59 | $3.07 | +93% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.33 | $2.92 | +120% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.44 | $2.36 | +64% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.22 | $2.61 | +114% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.89 | $15.1 | +91% |
| Transport | +126% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.11 | $2.68 | +141% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $53.2 | $122 | +129% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.61 | $3.68 | +129% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.78 | $1.86 | +138% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.43 | $0.87 | +102% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $12,080 | $26,442 | +119% |
| Dining out | +105% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.2 | $22.6 | +102% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $50.3 | $107 | +113% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.05 | $11.9 | +136% |
| Cappuccino | $2.48 | $5.18 | +109% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.28 | $2.16 | +69% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.39 | $5.99 | +77% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.32 | $7.37 | +122% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.88 | $1.87 | +113% |
| Telecom | +58% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.6 | $63.4 | +69% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $40.9 | $55.3 | +35% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.31 | +63% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.04 | $13.3 | +65% |
| Utilities & household | +81% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $80.6 | $153 | +90% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.12 | $0.2 | +67% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.39 | $4.02 | +68% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.65 | $1.46 | +125% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $12 | $20.8 | +73% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $45.3 | $79.6 | +76% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.6 | $15.3 | +101% |
| Men's haircut | $17.5 | $27.1 | +55% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $14.1 | $26.6 | +89% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,152 | $2,070 | +80% |
3,301 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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