🇨🇷 Mexico & Central America
San José, Costa Rica
Mexico & Central America ✓ Live Numbeo data See Costa Rica country profile →
Pricier for Central America but strong infrastructure and services
Climate
Rainfall, humidity, and the best months to visit: see the full San José climate profile →
Internet speeds
Measured medians from 176,158 real speedtests within 10 km of the city center (Q1 2026) — not advertised ISP numbers.
| Download | Upload | Latency | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed broadband | 237 Mbps | 189 Mbps | 6 ms | 163,657 |
| Mobile | 146 Mbps | 31.1 Mbps | 20 ms | 12,501 |
Speedtest® by Ookla Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance Maps, © Ookla. Accessed 2026-07-18. Your building's wiring and ISP plan matter more than the city median. Compare all cities in the Internet Speed Explorer →
Cost of living breakdown
USD converted from local prices at baseline rates (1 USD = 455.959 CRC, 2026-06-16). Use the Cost of Living Explorer for live exchange rates.
| 💰 Monthly budgets | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Individual (excl. rent) | $1,012 | CRC 461,346 |
| Individual all-in (excl. rent + 1BR center) | $1,953 | — |
| Family of 4 (excl. rent) | $3,750 | CRC 1,710K |
| Average net salary (after tax) | $1,058 | CRC 482,418 |
| 🏢 Rent & property | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR city center | $941 | CRC 428,987 |
| 1BR outside center | $726 | CRC 331,192 |
| 3BR city center | $1,842 | CRC 840,069 |
| 3BR outside center | $1,296 | CRC 590,962 |
| Buy price / sqft — center | $211 | CRC 96,386 |
| Buy price / sqft — outside | $168 | CRC 76,729 |
| 🍽️ Food & dining | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal (1 person) | $12.06 | CRC 5,500 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 people) | $58.12 | CRC 26,500 |
| Fast food combo | $11.58 | CRC 5,278 |
| Beef (per lb) | $6.35 | CRC 2,896 |
| Taxi (per mile) | $2.56 | CRC 1,167 |
| ⚡ Utilities & lifestyle | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities / mo | $101 | CRC 45,899 |
| Phone plan / mo | $36 | CRC 16,321 |
| Internet / mo | $65 | CRC 29,663 |
| Gym membership / mo | $73 | CRC 33,240 |
| Cinema ticket | $8.77 | CRC 4,000 |
| Preschool / mo | $985 | CRC 449,320 |
| International school / yr | $17,099 | CRC 7,796K |
| New car (Corolla equiv.) | $21,936 | CRC 10,002K |
Visa, taxes & legal in Costa Rica
Country-level research that applies to living in San José — each row links to the full comparison dashboard.
| Tourist entry (US passport) | Up to 180 days visa-free |
| Digital nomad visa | Digital Nomad Stay (Estancia) — income requirement $3,000/mo ($4,000 w/ family) — compare all countries → |
| Path to permanent residency | DNV: no. Rentista/Pensionado: yes → PR after 3 yrs |
| Tax if you become resident | Territorial ⭐ system · top rate 25% top (local income only) — tax breakdown → |
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 6/10 · cross-border collection 6/10 — legal detail → |
Everything about the country in one place: Costa Rica profile for American nomads →
Location
Compare with nearby cities
Data last updated · Source: Numbeo