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: $4,694 in Los Gatos, CA versus $3,386 in Alexandria, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,107 in Los Gatos, CA versus $4,869 in Alexandria, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,519 in Los Gatos, CA versus $6,351 in Alexandria, VA.

Living in Los Gatos, CA is roughly 39% more expensive than in Alexandria, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Gatos, CA 242% above, Alexandria, VA 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.95 $24.95

$19.86 $19.86

25.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$104 $104

6.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 $11.78

$11.85 $11.85

-0.59%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$4.37 $4.37

34.78%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$2.75 $2.75

6.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.25 $2.25

-5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$5.06 $5.06

57.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$7.87 $7.87

2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.05 $1.05

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.46 $3.46

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$5.18 $5.18

-9.07%

Eggs

$6.78 $6.78

$5.55 $5.55

22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.85 $21.85

$18.76 $18.76

16.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$19.95 $19.95

-40.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$23.63 $23.63

-44.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$8.03 $8.03

-30.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.33 $2.33

-6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$7.47 $7.47

-34.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$8.05 $8.05

-27.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.82 $4.82

-31.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$3.28 $3.28

-7.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.90 $2.90

-15.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.20 $3.20

-18.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 $7.43

$9.13 $9.13

-18.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.80 $11.80

$17.75 $17.75

-33.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.65 $3.65

-32.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.7 $78.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 $3.27

$4.10 $4.10

-20.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.43 $1.43

65.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.44 $40.44

$24.76 $24.76

63.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.91 $0.91

58.24%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$35.6K $35.6K

-14.28%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

2.99%

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

$189 $189

$219 $219

-13.61%

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

$61.4 $61.4

$52.4 $52.4

17.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 $62.7

$61.9 $61.9

1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$147 $147

$71.9 $71.9

104.95%

Cinema Ticket

$16.89 $16.89

$15.65 $15.65

7.92%

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

$2,425 $2,425

$2,037 $2,037

19.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$32.0K $32.0K

-25.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$48.28 $48.28

8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 $40.02

$49.03 $49.03

-18.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 $75.0

$85.8 $85.8

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 $59.7

$133 $133

-55.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 $3,565

$2,340 $2,340

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,177 $3,177

$1,836 $1,836

73.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 $3,442

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,945 $5,945

$2,760 $2,760

115.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,492 $3,492

$6,683 $6,683

-47.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,053 $6,053

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

6.1

2.46%

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

Last update for Los Gatos, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Alexandria, VA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,565 in Los Gatos, CA and $2,340 in Alexandria, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $111 in Los Gatos, CA vs $104 in Alexandria, VA. Groceries flip the comparison at $449 vs $562, with Los Gatos, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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 39% in total monthly costs ($4,694 vs $3,386 including rent). Alexandria, VA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $7,041 in Los Gatos, CA and $5,079 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: $3,565 in Los Gatos, CA versus $2,340 in Alexandria, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,425 in Los Gatos, CA versus $2,037 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 Alexandria, VA – a meal for two runs $104 versus $111 in Los Gatos, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Alexandria, VA 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 Alexandria, VA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Los Gatos, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.