Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Auburn, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
156

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, CA
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Auburn, CA Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Auburn, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Jose and in Auburn, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Auburn, CA $3,212

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $4,620 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Auburn, CA $4,620

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $6,027 in Auburn, CA, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Auburn, CA $6,027

San Jose is about 40% cheaper than Auburn, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Jose and Auburn, CA sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Auburn, CA by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$25.25 $25.25

-50.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$90.7 $90.7

-32.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$11.92 $11.92

-3.94%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$4.91 $4.91

-10.59%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.54 $2.54

6.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$2.37 $2.37

-18.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$4.86 $4.86

-34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$7.11 $7.11

-37.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.23 $1.23

98.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$4.52 $4.52

-32.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$8.21 $8.21

-70.65%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$3.17 $3.17

7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$25.79 $25.79

-58.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$18.58 $18.58

-43.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$23.00 $23.00

-39.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$7.72 $7.72

-31.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.70 $1.70

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$8.51 $8.51

-44.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$6.78 $6.78

-41.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$5.10 $5.10

-23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$3.06 $3.06

20.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.02 $2.02

-44.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$2.27 $2.27

40.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$11.66 $11.66

-48.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$15.24 $15.24

28.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$1.46 $1.46

93.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.02 $2.02

77.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$3.40 $3.40

-67.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$88.2 $88.2

-24.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$3.26 $3.26

-23.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$2.43 $2.43

-32.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$40.49 $40.49

-79.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.22 $1.22

27.87%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$32.8K $32.8K

-31.75%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$24.5K $24.5K

45.25%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$189 $189

-49.60%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$49.79 $49.79

-28.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$66.7 $66.7

-12.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$64.4 $64.4

12.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$15.10 $15.10

-49.80%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$2,686 $2,686

-62.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$5,939 $5,939

188.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$68.7 $68.7

2.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$46.74 $46.74

19.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$110 $110

17.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$199 $199

-34.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,823 $1,823

-49.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,591 $1,591

-51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$2,784 $2,784

-29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$2,344 $2,344

-45.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$3,277 $3,277

-30.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$2,675 $2,675

-31.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$3,926 $3,926

-74.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.77

27.33%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Auburn, CA

$1.6K 49.5% 106% $817

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Auburn, CA

$558 17.4% 39.1% $157

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Auburn, CA

$355 11% 54.7% $125

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Auburn, CA

$305 9.5% 61.2% $116

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Auburn, CA

$191 6% 9.8% $17

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Auburn, CA

$95 3% 7.7% $6.8

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Auburn, CA

$117 3.7% 43.1% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $1,823 in Auburn, CA. 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 286% higher in Auburn, CA, 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 $61.0 in San Jose versus $91.0 in Auburn, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $558 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Auburn, CA

🕒 Local time

15:53 3:53 PM

14:53 2:53 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

76,143

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose Auburn, CA 4,880 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Auburn, CA

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

San Jose vs Auburn, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,938 in San Jose, $3,212 in Auburn, CA – roughly 66% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $4,818 in Auburn, CA. 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in San Jose and $2,686 in Auburn, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Auburn, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Auburn, CA at $3,212. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auburn, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,938 in San Jose to $3,212 in Auburn, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.