Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,784 in Coquitlam, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Coquitlam outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

134

Cost of Living Index in Coquitlam
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Coquitlam Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Coquitlam

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,784

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,784 in Coquitlam versus $1,938 in San Jose.

Coquitlam $2,784
San Jose $1,938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,921 in Coquitlam versus $2,936 in San Jose.

Coquitlam $3,921
San Jose $2,936

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,058 in Coquitlam versus $3,934 in San Jose.

Coquitlam $5,058
San Jose $3,934

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 44% more expensive than in San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 106% above, San Jose 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.08 CA$22.74

$12.38 ₡5,551

29.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 CA$97.9

$60.9 ₡27.3K

13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 CA$14.78

$11.45 ₡5,135

-8.65%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.34

$4.39 ₡1,967

-14.12%

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

$2.13 CA$3.01

$2.70 ₡1,211

-21.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.27

$1.93 ₡864

-16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 CA$8.02

$3.20 ₡1,433

77.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 CA$8.64

$4.41 ₡1,979

38.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.04

$2.44 ₡1,093

-40.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.56

$3.05 ₡1,369

-17.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.80

$2.41 ₡1,081

11.62%

Eggs

$3.88 CA$5.48

$3.40 ₡1,523

14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 CA$13.56

$10.75 ₡4,823

-10.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.46 CA$19.02

$10.43 ₡4,679

29.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.57 CA$27.66

$13.99 ₡6,273

39.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.57

$5.25 ₡2,353

-24.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.95

$1.59 ₡712

-13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.59

$4.69 ₡2,103

-15.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.76

$3.95 ₡1,770

3.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.22

$3.92 ₡1,760

-59.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 CA$3.89

$3.68 ₡1,651

-25.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.54

$1.12 ₡503

124.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CA$1.47

$3.19 ₡1,429

-67.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.62 CA$22.09

$6.00 ₡2,692

160.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 CA$16.54

$19.56 ₡8,771

-40.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CA$3.72

$2.82 ₡1,263

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$4.07

$3.59 ₡1,611

-19.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 CA$3.14

$1.12 ₡503

98.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 CA$105

$66.8 ₡30.0K

11.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 CA$3.78

$2.50 ₡1,119

7.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.94

$1.63 ₡733

-15.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.47 CA$34.59

$8.50 ₡3,812

187.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.90

$1.56 ₡701

-14.10%

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

$25.6K CA$36.3K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

14.44%

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

$18.6K CA$26.3K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-47.81%

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

$81.0 CA$114

$95.2 ₡42.7K

-14.95%

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

$35.50 CA$50.2

$35.58 ₡16.0K

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.5 CA$74.2

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.62 CA$29.14

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-71.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.61 CA$15.00

$24.85 ₡11.1K

-57.30%

Cinema Ticket

$10.31 CA$14.57

$7.58 ₡3,401

36.02%

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

$1,091 CA$1,542

$1,001 ₡449.0K

8.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K CA$16.1K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

-33.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 CA$80.9

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-18.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.93 CA$46.55

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-41.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 CA$134

$130 ₡58.2K

-26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 CA$135

$131 ₡58.7K

-26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 CA$2,745

$927 ₡415.8K

109.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 CA$2,452

$774 ₡347.2K

123.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,462 CA$4,894

$1,967 ₡882.0K

76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,582 CA$3,651

$1,288 ₡577.6K

100.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,099 CA$8,623

$2,274 ₡1.0M

168.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,977 CA$7,036

$1,831 ₡821.0K

171.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,953 CA$4,175

$1,016 ₡455.8K

190.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

8.62

-50.35%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Coquitlam

$1.7K 62.3%

San Jose

$774 40% 55.4% $960

Groceries & Markets

Coquitlam

$360 12.9%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 11.4% $41

Eating Out

Coquitlam

$261 9.4%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 12.1% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Coquitlam

$169 6.1%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 12.1% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Coquitlam

$126 4.5%

San Jose

$174 9% 37.8% $48

Getting Around

Coquitlam

$93 3.3%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 11.7% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Coquitlam

$41 1.5%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 113% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,941 in Coquitlam and $927 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 191% 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: $69.0 in Coquitlam vs $61.0 in San Jose. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $401, with Coquitlam cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Coquitlam

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

13:22 1:22 PM

14:22 2:22 PM

1 h ahead of Coquitlam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

148,625

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Coquitlam San Jose 5,650 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Coquitlam
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

Coquitlam vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 191% higher in Coquitlam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,941 in Coquitlam versus $927 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,784 per month in Coquitlam versus $1,938 in San Jose – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Jose runs roughly 11% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,784 in Coquitlam, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Coquitlam. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.