Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hillsboro, OR and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,859 in Hillsboro, OR, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

Cost of Living Index in Hillsboro, OR
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Hillsboro, OR Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Hillsboro, OR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,859

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,859 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $2,859
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $3,884 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $3,884
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $4,908 per month in Hillsboro, OR vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Hillsboro, OR $4,908
San Jose $3,934

Hillsboro, OR costs about 48% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hillsboro, OR and San Jose sit above the global median – Hillsboro, OR by 112%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.13 $22.13

$12.38 ₡5,551

78.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$60.9 ₡27.3K

-2.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 $7.79

$11.45 ₡5,135

-31.97%

Cappuccino

$4.64 $4.64

$4.39 ₡1,967

5.69%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$2.70 ₡1,211

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.93 ₡864

10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.20 ₡1,433

58.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$4.41 ₡1,979

34.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.44 ₡1,093

-56.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.05 ₡1,369

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.41 ₡1,081

121.58%

Eggs

$3.67 $3.67

$3.40 ₡1,523

7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.75 ₡4,823

-6.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 $13.91

$10.43 ₡4,679

33.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 $19.94

$13.99 ₡6,273

42.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$5.25 ₡2,353

-29.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.59 ₡712

6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.69 ₡2,103

-16.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.95 ₡1,770

-15.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$3.92 ₡1,760

-46.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.68 ₡1,651

-40.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.12 ₡503

73.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.19 ₡1,429

-39.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$6.00 ₡2,692

69.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 $13.62

$19.56 ₡8,771

-30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.82 ₡1,263

-37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.59 ₡1,611

-2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.12 ₡503

153.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 $99.5

$66.8 ₡30.0K

49.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.50 ₡1,119

96.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.63 ₡733

-17.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.85 $29.85

$8.50 ₡3,812

251.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.56 ₡701

-23.08%

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

$18.4K $18.4K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

-17.91%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-37.23%

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

$149 $149

$95.2 ₡42.7K

56.62%

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

$40.21 $40.21

$35.58 ₡16.0K

13.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.37 $47.37

$58.6 ₡26.3K

-19.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 $52.5

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-27.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.88 $11.88

$24.85 ₡11.1K

-52.19%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$7.58 ₡3,401

81.27%

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

$1,225 $1,225

$1,001 ₡449.0K

22.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K $12.1K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

-29.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.14 $37.14

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-47.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 $38.11

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-31.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 $95.0

$130 ₡58.2K

-26.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 $85.1

$131 ₡58.7K

-34.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,921 $1,921

$927 ₡415.8K

107.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 $1,604

$774 ₡347.2K

107.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 $2,835

$1,967 ₡882.0K

44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,124 $2,124

$1,288 ₡577.6K

64.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,299 $3,299

$2,274 ₡1.0M

45.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,407 $3,407

$1,831 ₡821.0K

86.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,745 $4,745

$1,016 ₡455.8K

366.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

8.62

-27.84%

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

Last update for Hillsboro, OR: October 11, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hillsboro, OR

$1.6K 56.1%

San Jose

$774 40% 51.7% $830

Groceries & Markets

Hillsboro, OR

$389 13.6%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 3.1% $12

Eating Out

Hillsboro, OR

$313 10.9%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 26.7% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hillsboro, OR

$237 8.3%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 20% $47

Getting Around

Hillsboro, OR

$123 4.3%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 33.1% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Hillsboro, OR

$115 4%

San Jose

$174 9% 51.5% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Hillsboro, OR

$80 2.8%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 9.8% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,921 in Hillsboro, OR 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 367% higher in Hillsboro, OR, 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 $59.0 in Hillsboro, OR versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $401 – making Hillsboro, OR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hillsboro, OR

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

00:20 12:20 AM

01:20 1:20 AM

1 h ahead of Hillsboro, OR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,447

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

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Between locations

Hillsboro, OR San Jose 5,410 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Hillsboro, OR
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

Hillsboro, OR vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hillsboro, OR costs about 48% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,289 per month in Hillsboro, OR 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,859 in Hillsboro, OR and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 48%.

Public transport costs about 49% less in San Jose. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Hillsboro, OR at $2,859. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hillsboro, OR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,938 versus $2,859 in Hillsboro, OR. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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