Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bremerton, WA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,874 in Bremerton, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bremerton, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Bremerton, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,874
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,924
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,874 in Bremerton, WA versus $1,924 in San Jose.

  • Bremerton, WA $2,874
  • San Jose $1,924

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,037 in Bremerton, WA versus $2,926 in San Jose.

  • Bremerton, WA $4,037
  • San Jose $2,926

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,200 in Bremerton, WA versus $3,929 in San Jose.

  • Bremerton, WA $5,200
  • San Jose $3,929

Living in Bremerton, WA is roughly 49% 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: Bremerton, WA 112% above, San Jose 42% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.37 $20.37
$12.29 ₡5,513
65.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.5 $64.5
$62.3 ₡27.9K
3.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.16 $11.16
$11.53 ₡5,171
-3.21%
Cappuccino
$4.75 $4.75
$4.35 ₡1,953
9.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 $2.91
$2.64 ₡1,183
10.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.86 ₡836
9.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.52 $6.52
$3.32 ₡1,490
96.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.96 $7.96
$4.52 ₡2,026
76.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 $1.24
$2.39 ₡1,073
-48.12%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 $3.55
$3.08 ₡1,381
15.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.33 $3.33
$2.50 ₡1,119
33.20%
Eggs
$5.29 $5.29
$3.48 ₡1,562
52.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.33 $9.33
$10.74 ₡4,815
-13.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.01 $14.01
$10.32 ₡4,629
35.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$14.10 ₡6,325
-7.23%
Apples (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$5.03 ₡2,256
-14.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.59 ₡714
-22.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.13 $4.13
$4.84 ₡2,171
-14.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 $2.00
$3.96 ₡1,776
-49.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 $1.57
$3.76 ₡1,684
-58.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$3.73 ₡1,674
-59.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.08 ₡485
-19.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 $0.56
$3.25 ₡1,456
-82.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.06 $12.06
$5.86 ₡2,627
105.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.03 $17.03
$20.28 ₡9,095
-16.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.90 ₡1,300
-38.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 $4.28
$3.73 ₡1,673
14.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.08 ₡486
82.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.90 $36.90
$65.5 ₡29.4K
-43.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.50 ₡1,123
-19.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 $1.90
$1.63 ₡732
16.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.92 $14.92
$8.71 ₡3,904
71.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.58 ₡709
-20.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K $27.7K
$33.6K ₡15.1M
-17.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$41.7K ₡18.7M
-35.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$273 $273
$93.7 ₡42.0K
191.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.0 $62.0
$35.42 ₡15.9K
75.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.2 $82.2
$60.0 ₡26.9K
36.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.4 $65.4
$72.6 ₡32.6K
-9.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.12 $5.12
$25.83 ₡11.6K
-80.18%
Cinema Ticket
$9.38 $9.38
$7.74 ₡3,471
21.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,729 $2,729
$1,005 ₡450.9K
171.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.5K $31.5K
$16.9K ₡7.6M
86.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.94 $39.94
$73.1 ₡32.8K
-45.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.52 $30.52
$55.4 ₡24.9K
-44.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.9 $92.9
$128 ₡57.5K
-27.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.7 $75.7
$130 ₡58.5K
-41.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,631 $1,631
$932 ₡418.0K
74.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,543 $1,543
$760 ₡340.8K
103.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,709 $2,709
$1,922 ₡862.0K
40.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,426 $2,426
$1,276 ₡572.1K
90.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,565 $3,565
$2,301 ₡1.0M
54.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,227 $3,227
$1,833 ₡821.9K
76.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bremerton, WA
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,910 $4,910
$1,029 ₡461.3K
377.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.55
8.62
-24.01%

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

Last update for Bremerton, WA: October 18, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bremerton, WA
$1.5K
San Jose
$760 50.8% $783
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bremerton, WA
$417
San Jose
$189 54.6% $228
Groceries & Markets
Bremerton, WA
$345
San Jose
$403 17% $58
Eating Out
Bremerton, WA
$322
San Jose
$229 28.9% $93
Clothing & Footwear
Bremerton, WA
$108
San Jose
$174 61.9% $67
Sport & Entertainment
Bremerton, WA
$84
San Jose
$88 4.7% $3.9
Getting Around
Bremerton, WA
$56
San Jose
$80 42.9% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Bremerton, WA and $932 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bremerton, WA pays 377% 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: $65.0 in Bremerton, WA vs $62.0 in San Jose. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $403, with Bremerton, WA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Bremerton, WA
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
03:58 3:58 AM
04:58 4:58 AM
1 h ahead of Bremerton, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
39,056
342,188 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 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
  • Bremerton, WA San Jose 5,520 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bremerton, 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
Bremerton, WA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Bremerton, WA and in San Jose?
Bremerton, WA and San Jose differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($2,874 vs $1,924 including rent). San Jose is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Bremerton, WA or San Jose?
Average pay runs 377% higher in Bremerton, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Bremerton, WA and in San Jose?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,631 in Bremerton, 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 grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Bremerton, WA pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $65.0 in Bremerton, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,924 in San Jose versus $2,874 in Bremerton, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Bremerton, WA. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Bremerton, WA and San Jose?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Bremerton, WA or San Jose safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Bremerton, WA and San Jose are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Bremerton, WA or San Jose?
Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Bremerton, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Bremerton, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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