Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cupertino, CA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $3,358 in Cupertino, CA, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

164

Cost of Living Index in Cupertino, CA
Learn more

Cupertino, CA Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

Jump to prices

Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,358

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,358 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $3,358
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $5,303 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $5,303
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $7,248 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $7,248
San Jose $3,934

Cupertino, CA costs about 73% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cupertino, CA and San Jose sit above the global median – Cupertino, CA by 149%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 $25.18

$12.38 ₡5,551

103.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$60.9 ₡27.3K

-17.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$11.45 ₡5,135

-13.71%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$4.39 ₡1,967

39.18%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$2.70 ₡1,211

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.93 ₡864

13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.20 ₡1,433

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 $7.80

$4.41 ₡1,979

76.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$2.44 ₡1,093

-46.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.05 ₡1,369

9.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.41 ₡1,081

78.42%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$3.40 ₡1,523

49.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$10.75 ₡4,823

-38.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.46 $13.46

$10.43 ₡4,679

29.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$13.99 ₡6,273

-6.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$5.25 ₡2,353

-26.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.59 ₡712

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.69 ₡2,103

-52.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.95 ₡1,770

-29.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.92 ₡1,760

-35.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.68 ₡1,651

-14.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.12 ₡503

120.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$3.19 ₡1,429

-68.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 $11.68

$6.00 ₡2,692

94.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 $12.88

$19.56 ₡8,771

-34.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.82 ₡1,263

-32.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$3.59 ₡1,611

-44.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.12 ₡503

164.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$66.8 ₡30.0K

108.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.50 ₡1,119

68.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.63 ₡733

27.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.90 $29.90

$8.50 ₡3,812

251.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.56 ₡701

-5.13%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

64.20%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-23.88%

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

$257 $257

$95.2 ₡42.7K

169.95%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$35.58 ₡16.0K

72.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$58.6 ₡26.3K

11.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.40 $35.40

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$15.70 $15.70

$7.58 ₡3,401

107.12%

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

$2,117 $2,117

$1,001 ₡449.0K

111.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

43.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-18.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.32 $35.32

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-36.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$130 ₡58.2K

-32.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 $58.8

$131 ₡58.7K

-55.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 $2,591

$927 ₡415.8K

179.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 $1,920

$774 ₡347.2K

147.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,925 $4,925

$1,967 ₡882.0K

150.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,292 $4,292

$1,288 ₡577.6K

233.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,633 $7,633

$1,016 ₡455.8K

651.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

8.62

-24.25%

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

Last update for Cupertino, CA: 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

Cupertino, CA

$1.9K 57.2%

San Jose

$774 40% 59.7% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cupertino, CA

$384 11.4%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 50.7% $195

Eating Out

Cupertino, CA

$373 11.1%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 38.5% $143

Groceries & Markets

Cupertino, CA

$341 10.2%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 17.6% $60

Getting Around

Cupertino, CA

$165 4.9%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 50.5% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Cupertino, CA

$108 3.2%

San Jose

$174 9% 61.8% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Cupertino, CA

$67 2%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 31.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,591 in Cupertino, CA versus $927 in San Jose. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 651% higher in Cupertino, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Cupertino, CA versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $401 – making Cupertino, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

12:34 12:34 PM

13:34 1:34 PM

1 h ahead of Cupertino, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,302

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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cupertino, CA San Jose 4,870 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Cupertino, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,358 in Cupertino, CA, $1,938 in San Jose – roughly 73% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,036 per month in Cupertino, CA and $2,907 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Cupertino, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Cupertino, CA and $61.0 in San Jose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Cupertino, CA at $3,358. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cupertino, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,938 in San Jose to $3,358 in Cupertino, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cupertino, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.