Bologna vs San Jose: cost of living for digital nomads

Bologna, Italy and San Jose, Costa Rica, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • San Jose is about 4% cheaper than Bologna for a month of nomad living ($1,900 vs $1,970).
  • Bologna scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 7/10).
  • Internet is faster in Bologna: 120 Mbps typical against 80 Mbps.
  • Bologna is temperate; San Jose is tropical.

Bologna wins 3 of the measured lines; San Jose wins 3.

LineBolognaSan Jose
Monthly total (USD)$1,970$1,900
Rent$900$900
Food$480$480
Transport$40$55
Coworking$150$140
Safety (out of 10)8/107/10
Internet (Mbps)12080
Climatetemperatetropical
City sizemidmetro
Settinginlandinland
Nomad score (out of 10)7/108/10

Compare Bologna with

Compare San Jose with

Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.