Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Fallbrook, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,949 a month against $2,645 in Fallbrook, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fallbrook, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in Fallbrook, CA
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Fallbrook, CA Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,949

/mo nomad

Fallbrook, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,645

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,949 in San Jose versus $2,645 in Fallbrook, CA.

San Jose $1,949
Fallbrook, CA $2,645

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,903 in San Jose versus $3,877 in Fallbrook, CA.

San Jose $2,903
Fallbrook, CA $3,877

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,857 in San Jose versus $5,110 in Fallbrook, CA.

San Jose $3,857
Fallbrook, CA $5,110

Living in San Jose costs roughly 26% less than in Fallbrook, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 45% above, Fallbrook, CA 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.22 ₡5,510

$30.38 $30.38

-59.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ₡27.1K

$73.8 $73.8

-18.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 ₡5,305

$9.86 $9.86

19.37%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₡1,939

$5.63 $5.63

-23.62%

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

$2.72 ₡1,226

$2.72 $2.72

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₡830

$1.52 $1.52

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 ₡1,480

$5.05 $5.05

-35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 ₡1,966

$5.63 $5.63

-22.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 ₡1,074

$1.12 $1.12

112.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,408

$3.82 $3.82

-18.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,086

$2.85 $2.85

-15.44%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,564

$5.51 $5.51

-37.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,767

$11.07 $11.07

-4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 ₡4,758

$13.44 $13.44

-21.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,196

$12.59 $12.59

9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 ₡2,274

$5.01 $5.01

0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₡727

$2.19 $2.19

-26.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,069

$4.45 $4.45

3.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,731

$4.99 $4.99

-23.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 ₡1,700

$4.58 $4.58

-17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,693

$4.37 $4.37

-13.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡506

$2.08 $2.08

-46.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₡1,441

$2.18 $2.18

46.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 ₡2,632

$11.92 $11.92

-51.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 ₡8,897

$13.77 $13.77

43.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 ₡1,240

$1.59 $1.59

72.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₡1,650

$2.72 $2.72

34.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.03 $2.03

-44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ₡1,110

$3.49 $3.49

-29.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ₡692

$1.82 $1.82

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ₡3,815

$23.72 $23.72

-64.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ₡699

$1.32 $1.32

17.42%

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

$21.7K ₡9.8M

$33.5K $33.5K

-35.31%

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

$34.9K ₡15.7M

$26.3K $26.3K

32.73%

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

$94.7 ₡42.7K

$249 $249

-62.03%

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

$35.11 ₡15.8K

$79.7 $79.7

-55.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.4K

$66.0 $66.0

-11.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 ₡32.5K

$38.94 $38.94

85.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 ₡11.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ₡3,532

$11.79 $11.79

-33.59%

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

$971 ₡437.9K

$537 $537

80.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ₡7.7M

$8,389 $8,389

102.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 ₡32.3K

$31.04 $31.04

130.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₡24.7K

$34.34 $34.34

59.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡58.2K

$71.6 $71.6

80.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₡60.0K

$138 $138

-3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 ₡420.9K

$1,689 $1,689

-44.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₡347.2K

$1,170 $1,170

-34.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 ₡876.7K

$2,511 $2,511

-22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₡593.5K

$2,384 $2,384

-44.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 ₡1.0M

$2,790 $2,790

-18.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 ₡809.1K

$2,216 $2,216

-19.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,006 ₡453.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.68

29.04%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 3, 2026

Last update for Fallbrook, CA: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$770 39.9%

Fallbrook, CA

$1.2K 45.6% 51.9% $400

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$399 20.7%

Fallbrook, CA

$400 15.6% 0.2% $0.8

Eating Out

San Jose

$228 11.8%

Fallbrook, CA

$394 15.3% 72.6% $166

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$188 9.8%

Fallbrook, CA

$395 15.4% 110% $207

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$175 9.1%

Fallbrook, CA

$124 4.8% 29.1% $51

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Fallbrook, CA

$63 2.4% 28.8% $25

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.1%

Fallbrook, CA

$21 * 0.8% 74% $59

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $934 in San Jose and $1,689 in Fallbrook, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in San Jose vs $74.0 in Fallbrook, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $400 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Fallbrook, CA

🕒 Local time

20:47 8:47 PM

19:47 7:47 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

32,267

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 11, 2026: 1 USD = 451 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose Fallbrook, CA 4,270 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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

San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,924 in San Jose and $3,968 in Fallbrook, CA 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: $934 in San Jose versus $1,689 in Fallbrook, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $971 in San Jose versus $537 in Fallbrook, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $74.0 in Fallbrook, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,949 in San Jose versus $2,645 in Fallbrook, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Fallbrook, CA. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Jose is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fallbrook, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Jose and Fallbrook, CA 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 San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Fallbrook, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.