Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aberdeen, WA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,163 in Aberdeen, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Aberdeen, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Aberdeen, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,163
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,924
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aberdeen, WA and in San Jose

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aberdeen, WA and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,163 in Aberdeen, WA versus $1,924 in San Jose.

  • Aberdeen, WA $2,163
  • San Jose $1,924

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,192 in Aberdeen, WA versus $2,926 in San Jose.

  • Aberdeen, WA $3,192
  • San Jose $2,926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,221 in Aberdeen, WA versus $3,929 in San Jose.

  • Aberdeen, WA $4,221
  • San Jose $3,929

Living in Aberdeen, WA is roughly 12% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aberdeen, WA 60% above, San Jose 42% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.98 $24.98
$12.29 ₡5,513
103.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.0 $99.0
$62.3 ₡27.9K
58.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.98 $11.98
$11.53 ₡5,171
3.90%
Cappuccino
$5.07 $5.07
$4.35 ₡1,953
16.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.64 ₡1,183
15.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.86 ₡836
41.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.04 $6.04
$3.32 ₡1,490
81.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91 $6.91
$4.52 ₡2,026
52.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$2.39 ₡1,073
-49.37%
White Bread (500g)
$3.22 $3.22
$3.08 ₡1,381
4.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.60 $3.60
$2.50 ₡1,119
44.00%
Eggs
$4.88 $4.88
$3.48 ₡1,562
40.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.39 $8.39
$10.74 ₡4,815
-21.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.32 $8.32
$10.32 ₡4,629
-19.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.61 $14.61
$14.10 ₡6,325
3.62%
Apples (1kg)
$5.96 $5.96
$5.03 ₡2,256
18.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.59 ₡714
16.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$4.84 ₡2,171
7.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.53 $4.53
$3.96 ₡1,776
14.39%
Potato (1kg)
$2.95 $2.95
$3.76 ₡1,684
-21.54%
Onion (1kg)
$3.04 $3.04
$3.73 ₡1,674
-18.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$1.08 ₡485
165.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 $2.42
$3.25 ₡1,456
-25.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.39 $10.39
$5.86 ₡2,627
77.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.23 $13.23
$20.28 ₡9,095
-34.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.90 ₡1,300
-38.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$3.73 ₡1,673
-32.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 $0.52
$1.08 ₡486
-51.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$65.5 ₡29.4K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.66 $2.66
$2.50 ₡1,123
6.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.63 ₡732
5.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.97 $29.97
$8.71 ₡3,904
244.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.58 ₡709
-24.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K $33.1K
$33.6K ₡15.1M
-1.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$41.7K ₡18.7M
-37.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$305 $305
$93.7 ₡42.0K
225.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.3 $70.3
$35.42 ₡15.9K
98.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.7 $85.7
$60.0 ₡26.9K
42.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.24 $31.24
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-56.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.83 ₡11.6K
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 $5.14
$7.74 ₡3,471
-33.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,050 $1,050
$1,005 ₡450.9K
4.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.8K $30.8K
$16.9K ₡7.6M
81.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.57 $45.57
$73.1 ₡32.8K
-37.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.92 $28.92
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-47.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.8 $55.8
$128 ₡57.5K
-56.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.6 $65.6
$130 ₡58.5K
-49.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$922 $922
$932 ₡418.0K
-1.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$827 $827
$760 ₡340.8K
8.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,280 $1,280
$1,922 ₡862.0K
-33.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,297 $1,297
$1,276 ₡572.1K
1.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,935 $2,935
$2,301 ₡1.0M
27.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,993 $2,993
$1,833 ₡821.9K
63.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aberdeen, WA
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,410 $4,410
$1,029 ₡461.3K
328.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.66
8.62
-22.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aberdeen, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aberdeen, WA
$827
San Jose
$760 8.1% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aberdeen, WA
$461
San Jose
$189 59% $272
Groceries & Markets
Aberdeen, WA
$369
San Jose
$403 9.2% $34
Eating Out
Aberdeen, WA
$363
San Jose
$229 37% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Aberdeen, WA
$88
San Jose
$174 97.6% $86
Sport & Entertainment
Aberdeen, WA
$42
San Jose
$88 112% $47
Getting Around
Aberdeen, WA
$13 *
San Jose
$80 504% $67

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $922 in Aberdeen, WA and $932 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aberdeen, WA pays 329% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Aberdeen, WA vs $62.0 in San Jose. Groceries flip the comparison at $369 vs $403, with Aberdeen, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Aberdeen, WA
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
10:15 10:15 AM
11:15 11:15 AM
1 h ahead of Aberdeen, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,071
342,188 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aberdeen, WA San Jose 5,560 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aberdeen, WA
  • San Jose

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Aberdeen, WA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Jose cheaper than Aberdeen, WA?
San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Aberdeen, WA or San Jose?
Average pay runs 329% higher in Aberdeen, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Aberdeen, WA and San Jose?
Rent for a central apartment: $922 in Aberdeen, WA versus $932 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,050 in Aberdeen, WA versus $1,005 in San Jose. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Aberdeen, WA or in San Jose?
Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $99.0 in Aberdeen, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Aberdeen, WA or in San Jose?
At $1,924 in San Jose versus $2,163 in Aberdeen, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Aberdeen, WA. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Aberdeen, WA or San Jose more family-friendly?
For families, San Jose is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Aberdeen, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Aberdeen, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Aberdeen, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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