Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Apple Valley, CA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in Apple Valley, CA: $1,252 a month against $1,924 in San Jose, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Apple Valley, CA
Learn more

Apple Valley, CA Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

Jump to prices

Apple Valley, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,252

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Apple Valley, CA 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 Apple Valley, CA and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,252 in Apple Valley, CA versus $1,924 in San Jose.

Apple Valley, CA $1,252
San Jose $1,924

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Apple Valley, CA versus $2,926 in San Jose.

Apple Valley, CA $1,916
San Jose $2,926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,580 in Apple Valley, CA versus $3,929 in San Jose.

Apple Valley, CA $2,580
San Jose $3,929

Living in Apple Valley, CA costs roughly 35% less than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Apple Valley, CA is 8% below, San Jose is 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$12.29 ₡5,513

60.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.18 $47.18

$62.3 ₡27.9K

-24.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$11.53 ₡5,171

-13.70%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$4.35 ₡1,953

16.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.64 ₡1,183

-7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.86 ₡836

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.32 ₡1,490

48.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.52 ₡2,026

30.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.39 ₡1,073

-62.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.08 ₡1,381

26.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.50 ₡1,119

16.80%

Eggs

$2.04 $2.04

$3.48 ₡1,562

-41.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$10.74 ₡4,815

31.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.93 $13.93

$10.32 ₡4,629

34.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$14.10 ₡6,325

-12.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.03 ₡2,256

-3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.59 ₡714

36.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$4.84 ₡2,171

-7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$3.96 ₡1,776

22.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$3.76 ₡1,684

23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$3.73 ₡1,674

12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.08 ₡485

92.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.25 ₡1,456

-31.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 $11.02

$5.86 ₡2,627

88.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.36 $13.36

$20.28 ₡9,095

-34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.90 ₡1,300

-43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.73 ₡1,673

-28.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.50 ₡1,123

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.63 ₡732

16.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.66 $23.66

$8.71 ₡3,904

171.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.58 ₡709

-12.66%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.4K $29.4K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

-12.50%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K $26.2K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-37.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$250 $250

$93.7 ₡42.0K

167.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$80.8 $80.8

$35.42 ₡15.9K

128.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$60.0 ₡26.9K

10.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$7.74 ₡3,471

56.98%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$548 $548

$1,005 ₡450.9K

-45.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,552 $8,552

$16.9K ₡7.6M

-49.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.64 $31.64

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-56.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 $34.39

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-37.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 $70.6

$128 ₡57.5K

-44.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$130 ₡58.5K

7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡418.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡340.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡862.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡572.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,239 $5,239

$1,029 ₡461.3K

409.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.25

8.62

-73.90%

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

Last update for Apple Valley, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Apple Valley, CA

$397 31.7%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 52.4% $208

Groceries & Markets

Apple Valley, CA

$393 31.4%

San Jose

$403 21% 2.5% $9.9

Eating Out

Apple Valley, CA

$300 24%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 23.8% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Apple Valley, CA

$124 9.9%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 40.1% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Apple Valley, CA

$24 * 1.9%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 262% $64

Getting Around

Apple Valley, CA

$13 * 1%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 518% $67

Accommodation & Living

Apple Valley, CA

- * 0%

San Jose

$760 39.5%

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

Cost Breakdown

Apple Valley, CA pays 409% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Apple Valley, CA vs $62.0 in San Jose for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $393 vs $403 per month, with Apple Valley, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Apple Valley, CA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

12:35 12:35 PM

13:35 1:35 PM

1 h ahead of Apple Valley, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,109

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Apple Valley, CA San Jose 4,330 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Apple Valley, CA
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

Apple Valley, CA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apple Valley, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 409% higher in Apple Valley, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $548 in Apple Valley, CA versus $1,005 in San Jose. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Apple Valley, CA – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $62.0 in San Jose. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,252 in Apple Valley, CA versus $1,924 in San Jose, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Apple Valley, CA but tight or insufficient in San Jose. The gap between the two cities makes Apple Valley, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Apple Valley, CA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Jose, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Apple Valley, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in San Jose. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.