Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Peterborough, Canada and San Jose

For one person, living costs are similar in Peterborough and in San Jose: $2,107 and $2,107 a month, rent and utilities included.

Peterborough, Canada
San Jose, Costa Rica
Peterborough
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,107
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in Peterborough versus $2,107 in San Jose.

  • Peterborough $2,107
  • San Jose $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,050 in Peterborough versus $3,081 in San Jose.

  • Peterborough $3,050
  • San Jose $3,081

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,993 in Peterborough versus $4,054 in San Jose.

  • Peterborough $3,993
  • San Jose $4,054

Monthly costs are close between Peterborough and San Jose; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Peterborough 56% above, San Jose 56% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 CA$16.26
$12.37 ₡5,563
-6.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.0 CA$101
$62.4 ₡28.0K
15.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 CA$15.07
$11.71 ₡5,264
-8.20%
Cappuccino
$3.83 CA$5.37
$4.54 ₡2,040
-15.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 CA$2.53
$2.75 ₡1,238
-34.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 CA$2.06
$1.86 ₡837
-20.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.28 CA$7.40
$3.35 ₡1,505
57.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.82 CA$8.16
$4.32 ₡1,944
34.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.59 CA$3.62
$2.36 ₡1,061
9.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 CA$3.44
$3.07 ₡1,379
-20.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 CA$3.48
$2.51 ₡1,128
-1.20%
Eggs
$3.26 CA$4.57
$3.53 ₡1,585
-7.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.86 CA$15.23
$10.54 ₡4,738
3.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.11 CA$15.58
$10.57 ₡4,754
5.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.80 CA$17.95
$13.92 ₡6,261
-8.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.35 CA$4.70
$5.20 ₡2,338
-35.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 CA$2.02
$1.65 ₡740
-12.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.51 CA$4.92
$4.89 ₡2,198
-28.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.13 CA$5.79
$3.84 ₡1,728
7.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.63 CA$2.28
$3.91 ₡1,757
-58.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 CA$3.24
$3.76 ₡1,692
-38.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 CA$3.19
$1.12 ₡504
102.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 CA$2.08
$3.22 ₡1,447
-53.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.57 CA$16.22
$6.02 ₡2,706
92.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.62 CA$17.69
$19.84 ₡8,919
-36.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 CA$3.40
$2.81 ₡1,264
-13.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.28
$3.65 ₡1,643
-55.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.46 CA$3.45
$1.08 ₡487
127.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.3 CA$76.2
$65.2 ₡29.3K
-16.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 CA$4.33
$2.26 ₡1,018
36.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 CA$1.76
$1.78 ₡799
-29.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.57 CA$30.23
$7.90 ₡3,551
173.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 CA$1.65
$1.50 ₡673
-21.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K CA$37.0K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-21.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1K CA$29.6K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-50.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$140 CA$197
$93.2 ₡41.9K
50.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.14 CA$49.25
$36.13 ₡16.2K
-2.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.89 CA$62.9
$60.6 ₡27.2K
-25.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.59 CA$52.7
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-45.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.21 CA$19.92
$24.94 ₡11.2K
-43.02%
Cinema Ticket
$11.50 CA$16.12
$7.67 ₡3,449
49.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$344 CA$482
$972 ₡436.9K
-64.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K CA$21.9K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
-17.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.52 CA$65.2
$70.6 ₡31.8K
-34.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.93 CA$53.2
$56.7 ₡25.5K
-33.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.1 CA$123
$129 ₡57.8K
-31.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.9 CA$104
$131 ₡58.8K
-43.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,376 CA$1,928
$1,170 ₡525.9K
17.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,083 CA$1,517
$943 ₡424.1K
14.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,057 CA$2,883
$1,984 ₡892.0K
3.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,631 CA$2,286
$1,400 ₡629.5K
16.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,479 CA$9,082
$2,681 ₡1.2M
141.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,365 CA$8,922
$2,037 ₡915.8K
212.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Peterborough
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,017 CA$4,229
$987 ₡443.6K
205.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.55
8.62
-47.22%

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

Last update for Peterborough: November 1, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Peterborough
$1.1K
San Jose
$943 12.9% $139
Groceries & Markets
Peterborough
$337
San Jose
$403 19.5% $66
Eating Out
Peterborough
$222
San Jose
$232 4.6% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peterborough
$220
San Jose
$190 13.8% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Peterborough
$111
San Jose
$174 57% $63
Getting Around
Peterborough
$74
San Jose
$81 9.8% $7.2
Sport & Entertainment
Peterborough
$61
San Jose
$84 39.1% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,376 in Peterborough and $1,170 in San Jose. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Peterborough pays about 3.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $72 in Peterborough vs $62 in San Jose. Groceries flip the comparison at $337 vs $403, with Peterborough cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Peterborough
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
04:31 4:31 AM
03:31 3:31 AM
1 h behind Peterborough
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
81,032
342,188 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Peterborough San Jose 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Peterborough
  • 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
Peterborough vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you earn more: Peterborough or San Jose?
Average pay in Peterborough is about 3.1 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Peterborough and San Jose?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,376 in Peterborough versus $1,170 in San Jose. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Peterborough runs roughly 17% less than in San Jose. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do food prices compare in Peterborough and in San Jose?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in San Jose. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 enough for either Peterborough or San Jose?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Peterborough gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Peterborough or in San Jose?
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.

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