Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Livermore, CA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $3,579 in Livermore, CA, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

172

Cost of Living Index in Livermore, CA
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Livermore, CA Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Livermore, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,579

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,579 per month in Livermore, CA vs $1,924 in San Jose, rent included.

Livermore, CA $3,579
San Jose $1,924

A couple spends around $5,837 per month in Livermore, CA vs $2,926 in San Jose, rent included.

Livermore, CA $5,837
San Jose $2,926

A family of three spends $8,095 per month in Livermore, CA vs $3,929 in San Jose, rent included.

Livermore, CA $8,095
San Jose $3,929

Livermore, CA costs about 86% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Livermore, CA and San Jose sit above the global median – Livermore, CA by 164%, San Jose by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$12.29 ₡5,513

80.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 $70.8

$62.3 ₡27.9K

13.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 $10.57

$11.53 ₡5,171

-8.33%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$4.35 ₡1,953

36.09%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$2.64 ₡1,183

-25.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.86 ₡836

64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.32 ₡1,490

79.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 $7.53

$4.52 ₡2,026

66.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.39 ₡1,073

-17.99%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.08 ₡1,381

41.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.50 ₡1,119

133.60%

Eggs

$6.31 $6.31

$3.48 ₡1,562

81.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.79 $26.79

$10.74 ₡4,815

149.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.36 $16.36

$10.32 ₡4,629

58.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.93 $21.93

$14.10 ₡6,325

55.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.89 $6.89

$5.03 ₡2,256

36.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.59 ₡714

42.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$4.84 ₡2,171

29.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$3.96 ₡1,776

161.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.76 ₡1,684

0.27%

Onion (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.73 ₡1,674

25.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.08 ₡485

130.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.25 ₡1,456

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 $11.92

$5.86 ₡2,627

103.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$20.28 ₡9,095

-35.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.90 ₡1,300

-27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.73 ₡1,673

-22.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.08 ₡486

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$65.5 ₡29.4K

-9.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.50 ₡1,123

38.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.63 ₡732

15.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.52 $39.52

$8.71 ₡3,904

353.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.58 ₡709

-8.23%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

-16.88%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-37.01%

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

$180 $180

$93.7 ₡42.0K

92.73%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$35.42 ₡15.9K

74.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.0 ₡26.9K

25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.49 $40.49

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-44.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$7.74 ₡3,471

77.52%

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

$2,506 $2,506

$1,005 ₡450.9K

149.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K $35.2K

$16.9K ₡7.6M

108.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.12 $49.12

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-32.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.80 $38.80

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-30.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 $63.8

$128 ₡57.5K

-50.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$233 $233

$130 ₡58.5K

79.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 $2,427

$932 ₡418.0K

160.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 $2,019

$760 ₡340.8K

165.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,721 $5,721

$1,922 ₡862.0K

197.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 $4,631

$1,276 ₡572.1K

263.06%

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)

$6,977 $6,977

$1,029 ₡461.3K

578.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

8.62

-26.91%

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

Last update for Livermore, 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.

Accommodation & Living

Livermore, CA

$2K 56.4%

San Jose

$760 39.5% 62.4% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Livermore, CA

$575 16.1%

San Jose

$403 21% 29.9% $172

Eating Out

Livermore, CA

$345 9.6%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 33.6% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Livermore, CA

$318 8.9%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 40.5% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Livermore, CA

$173 4.8%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 0.5% $0.9

Getting Around

Livermore, CA

$81 2.3%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 0.2% $0.2

Sport & Entertainment

Livermore, CA

$68 1.9%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 29.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,427 in Livermore, CA versus $932 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 578% higher in Livermore, 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 $71.0 in Livermore, CA versus $62.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $575 vs $403 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Livermore, CA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

12:35 12:35 PM

13:35 1:35 PM

1 h ahead of Livermore, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,803

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

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Between locations

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

From you

Livermore, 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

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

Livermore, CA costs about 86% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,368 per month in Livermore, CA and $2,886 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.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Livermore, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Livermore, CA and $62.0 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 $1,924, than in Livermore, CA at $3,579. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Livermore, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,924 versus $3,579 in Livermore, CA. 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, Livermore, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.