Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Gatos, CA and Alexandria, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Gatos, CA and Alexandria, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,718 in Los Gatos, CA versus $3,265 in Alexandria, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,075 in Los Gatos, CA versus $4,622 in Alexandria, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,433 in Los Gatos, CA versus $5,978 in Alexandria, VA.

Living in Los Gatos, CA costs roughly 17% less than in Alexandria, VA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Gatos, CA 103% above, Alexandria, VA 144% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.04 $30.04

$19.61 $19.61

53.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 $108

$79.5 $79.5

36.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.72 $13.72

$10.13 $10.13

35.44%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$5.04 $5.04

-6.15%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.45 $2.45

23.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.21 $2.21

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.80 $8.80

$5.91 $5.91

48.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$7.51 $7.51

5.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.06 $1.06

33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.63 $3.63

39.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$5.90 $5.90

-45.42%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$4.77 $4.77

10.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 $13.23

$18.48 $18.48

-28.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.83 $14.83

$9.92 $9.92

49.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.70 $16.70

$16.21 $16.21

3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$7.68 $7.68

$6.78 $6.78

13.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.75 $1.75

29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$7.23 $7.23

-38.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.44 $6.44

-24.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.43 $3.43

-15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.03 $3.03

13.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.43 $2.43

-10.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.73 $2.73

-4.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 $10.48

$7.78 $7.78

34.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 $13.08

$15.02 $15.02

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.68 $1.68

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.73 $3.73

6.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.01 $3.01

-34.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.5 $79.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.82 $1.82

96.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.34 $1.34

41.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 $29.83

$23.94 $23.94

24.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.89 $0.89

38.20%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

-4.04%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$24.8K $24.8K

4.38%

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

$215 $215

$172 $172

25.40%

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

$39.05 $39.05

$51.9 $51.9

-24.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$68.2 $68.2

-7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.55 $42.55

$72.7 $72.7

-41.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 $14.35

$14.94 $14.94

-3.95%

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

$1,147 $1,147

$1,282 $1,282

-10.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$24.1K $24.1K

-1.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 $56.2

$51.9 $51.9

8.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.10 $40.10

$48.74 $48.74

-17.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$97.0 $97.0

-5.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 $79.6

$112 $112

-28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$2,370 $2,370

-33.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$1,886 $1,886

-27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,644 $2,644

$3,554 $3,554

-25.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 $2,213

$2,791 $2,791

-20.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,504 $3,504

$6,527 $6,527

-46.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,032 $4,032

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,876 $5,876

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.57

1.52%

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

Last update for Los Gatos, CA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Alexandria, VA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Los Gatos, CA and $2,370 in Alexandria, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $108 in Los Gatos, CA vs $79.0 in Alexandria, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $455 vs $453 per month, with Alexandria, VA cheaper across the board.

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

Los Gatos, CA vs Alexandria, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Gatos, CA and Alexandria, VA differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,718 vs $3,265 including rent). Los Gatos, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,076 in Los Gatos, CA and $4,898 in Alexandria, VA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,572 in Los Gatos, CA versus $2,370 in Alexandria, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,147 in Los Gatos, CA versus $1,282 in Alexandria, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Los Gatos, CA – a meal for two runs $108 versus $79.0 in Alexandria, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Los Gatos, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Safety-wise, Los Gatos, CA and Alexandria, VA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Los Gatos, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Alexandria, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.