Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Naperville, IL and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $2,821 in Naperville, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Naperville, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

137

Cost of Living Index in Naperville, IL
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Naperville, IL Living Index
93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Naperville, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,821

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,821 per month in Naperville, IL vs $1,924 in San Jose, rent included.

Naperville, IL $2,821
San Jose $1,924

A couple spends around $3,974 per month in Naperville, IL vs $2,926 in San Jose, rent included.

Naperville, IL $3,974
San Jose $2,926

A family of three spends $5,127 per month in Naperville, IL vs $3,929 in San Jose, rent included.

Naperville, IL $5,127
San Jose $3,929

Naperville, IL costs about 47% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Naperville, IL and San Jose sit above the global median – Naperville, IL by 108%, San Jose by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.01 $14.01

$12.29 ₡5,513

14.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$62.3 ₡27.9K

20.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$11.53 ₡5,171

3.90%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$4.35 ₡1,953

21.15%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.64 ₡1,183

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.86 ₡836

23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.32 ₡1,490

84.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.45 $8.45

$4.52 ₡2,026

86.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$2.39 ₡1,073

-67.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.08 ₡1,381

-7.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.50 ₡1,119

18.00%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$3.48 ₡1,562

1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 $7.74

$10.74 ₡4,815

-27.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 $11.46

$10.32 ₡4,629

11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 $10.49

$14.10 ₡6,325

-25.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.03 ₡2,256

9.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.59 ₡714

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.84 ₡2,171

-28.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.96 ₡1,776

35.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.76 ₡1,684

-54.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.73 ₡1,674

-10.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.08 ₡485

56.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,456

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.21 $12.21

$5.86 ₡2,627

108.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$20.28 ₡9,095

-59.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.90 ₡1,300

-39.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.73 ₡1,673

6.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$65.5 ₡29.4K

98.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.50 ₡1,123

124.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.63 ₡732

78.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 $17.46

$8.71 ₡3,904

100.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.58 ₡709

-31.65%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$33.6K ₡15.1M

-27.31%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$41.7K ₡18.7M

-38.12%

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

$173 $173

$93.7 ₡42.0K

84.83%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$35.42 ₡15.9K

47.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 $51.6

$60.0 ₡26.9K

-13.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 $70.7

$72.6 ₡32.6K

-2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 $15.09

$25.83 ₡11.6K

-41.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.99 $11.99

$7.74 ₡3,471

54.91%

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

$1,477 $1,477

$1,005 ₡450.9K

46.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K $12.7K

$16.9K ₡7.6M

-25.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$73.1 ₡32.8K

-21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.78 $24.78

$55.4 ₡24.9K

-55.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 $87.4

$128 ₡57.5K

-31.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 $50.6

$130 ₡58.5K

-61.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 $2,037

$932 ₡418.0K

118.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$760 ₡340.8K

112.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,308 $3,308

$1,922 ₡862.0K

72.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,429 $2,429

$1,276 ₡572.1K

90.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,253 $2,253

$2,301 ₡1.0M

-2.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 $2,241

$1,833 ₡821.9K

22.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,526 $6,526

$1,029 ₡461.3K

534.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

8.62

-25.41%

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

Last update for Naperville, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Naperville, IL

$1.6K 57.3%

San Jose

$760 39.5% 53% $856

Groceries & Markets

Naperville, IL

$304 * 10.8%

San Jose

$403 21% 32.6% $99

Eating Out

Naperville, IL

$280 9.9%

San Jose

$229 11.9% 18.1% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Naperville, IL

$277 9.8%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 31.8% $88

Getting Around

Naperville, IL

$150 * 5.3%

San Jose

$80 4.2% 46.4% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Naperville, IL

$99 3.5%

San Jose

$174 9.1% 75.8% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Naperville, IL

$95 3.4%

San Jose

$88 4.6% 7% $6.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,037 in Naperville, IL 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 534% higher in Naperville, IL, 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 $75.0 in Naperville, IL versus $62.0 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Naperville, IL vs $403 in San Jose – so Naperville, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Naperville, IL

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

14:27 2:27 PM

13:27 1:27 PM

1 h behind Naperville, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,540

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

Naperville, IL San Jose 3,560 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Naperville, IL
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

Naperville, IL vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Naperville, IL costs about 47% 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 $4,231 per month in Naperville, IL 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.

Public transport costs about 98% less in San Jose. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,477 per month in Naperville, IL and $1,005 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Naperville, IL at $2,821. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Naperville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,924 versus $2,821 in Naperville, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Naperville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.