Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Redmond, WA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $4,251 in Redmond, WA, rent and utilities included – about $27,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

205

Cost of Living Index in Redmond, WA
Learn more

Redmond, WA Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
Learn more

San Jose Living Index

Jump to prices

Redmond, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,251

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,251 per month in Redmond, WA vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Redmond, WA $4,251
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $5,535 per month in Redmond, WA vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Redmond, WA $5,535
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $6,819 per month in Redmond, WA vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Redmond, WA $6,819
San Jose $3,934

Redmond, WA costs about 119% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Redmond, WA and San Jose sit above the global median – Redmond, WA by 215%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.42 $25.42

$12.38 ₡5,551

105.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$60.9 ₡27.3K

30.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 $12.13

$11.45 ₡5,135

5.94%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.39 ₡1,967

27.33%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$2.70 ₡1,211

17.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.93 ₡864

34.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$3.20 ₡1,433

123.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$4.41 ₡1,979

62.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.44 ₡1,093

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.05 ₡1,369

68.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.41 ₡1,081

142.32%

Eggs

$5.63 $5.63

$3.40 ₡1,523

65.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.43 $16.43

$10.75 ₡4,823

52.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.31 $16.31

$10.43 ₡4,679

56.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.56 $23.56

$13.99 ₡6,273

68.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$5.25 ₡2,353

13.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.59 ₡712

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.69 ₡2,103

-11.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.95 ₡1,770

16.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.92 ₡1,760

-31.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.68 ₡1,651

-19.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.12 ₡503

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.19 ₡1,429

-5.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.32 $12.32

$6.00 ₡2,692

105.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$19.56 ₡8,771

-23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.82 ₡1,263

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.59 ₡1,611

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.12 ₡503

189.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.5 $90.5

$66.8 ₡30.0K

35.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.50 ₡1,119

2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.63 ₡733

1.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 $30.20

$8.50 ₡3,812

255.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.56 ₡701

-8.33%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

64.91%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-28.55%

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

$307 $307

$95.2 ₡42.7K

222.86%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$35.58 ₡16.0K

73.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 $88.7

$58.6 ₡26.3K

51.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 $82.7

$72.7 ₡32.6K

13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.11 $40.11

$24.85 ₡11.1K

61.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.13 $17.13

$7.58 ₡3,401

125.99%

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

$2,747 $2,747

$1,001 ₡449.0K

174.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

84.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 $66.4

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-5.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 $55.6

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-0.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$130 ₡58.2K

-29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$131 ₡58.7K

-3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,881 $2,881

$927 ₡415.8K

210.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,532 $2,532

$774 ₡347.2K

226.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,077 $4,077

$1,967 ₡882.0K

107.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,131 $3,131

$1,288 ₡577.6K

143.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,255 $7,255

$2,274 ₡1.0M

219.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,038 $7,038

$1,831 ₡821.0K

284.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,100 $9,100

$1,016 ₡455.8K

795.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

8.62

-22.97%

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

Last update for Redmond, WA: October 10, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Redmond, WA

$2.5K 59.5%

San Jose

$774 40% 69.4% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Redmond, WA

$498 11.7%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 19.5% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Redmond, WA

$458 10.8%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 58.6% $268

Eating Out

Redmond, WA

$380 8.9%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 39.6% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Redmond, WA

$153 3.6%

San Jose

$174 9% 14.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Redmond, WA

$117 2.8%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 24.9% $29

Getting Around

Redmond, WA

$114 2.7%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 28.3% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,881 in Redmond, WA versus $927 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 795% higher in Redmond, WA, 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 $80.0 in Redmond, WA versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $498 vs $401 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Redmond, WA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

21:18 9:18 PM

22:18 10:18 PM

1 h ahead of Redmond, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

73,256

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Redmond, WA San Jose 5,500 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Redmond, WA
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

Redmond, WA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Redmond, WA is pricier by about 119%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,377 per month in Redmond, WA and $2,907 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 35% less in San Jose. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,747 per month in Redmond, WA and $1,001 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 $1,938, than in Redmond, WA at $4,251. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Redmond, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Jose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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