Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and High Point, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,173 in High Point, NC, rent and utilities included – about $790 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in High Point, NC
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High Point, NC Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

High Point, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in High Point, NC

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 High Point, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in San Jose versus $2,173 in High Point, NC.

San Jose $2,107
High Point, NC $2,173

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,081 in San Jose versus $3,150 in High Point, NC.

San Jose $3,081
High Point, NC $3,150

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,054 in San Jose versus $4,128 in High Point, NC.

San Jose $4,054
High Point, NC $4,128

Living in San Jose costs roughly 3% less than in High Point, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 56% above, High Point, NC 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.37 ₡5,563

$17.65 $17.65

-29.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 ₡28.0K

$80.6 $80.6

-22.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 ₡5,264

$10.08 $10.08

16.17%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$5.47 $5.47

-17.00%

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

$2.75 ₡1,238

$2.82 $2.82

-2.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡837

$2.01 $2.01

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,505

$5.05 $5.05

-33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,944

$5.87 $5.87

-26.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₡1,061

$1.01 $1.01

133.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₡1,379

$4.03 $4.03

-23.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,128

$3.35 $3.35

-25.07%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$4.34 $4.34

-18.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 ₡4,738

$16.65 $16.65

-36.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,754

$13.90 $13.90

-23.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,261

$17.81 $17.81

-21.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 ₡2,338

$5.45 $5.45

-4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡740

$1.42 $1.42

16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 ₡2,198

$4.70 $4.70

4.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,728

$4.56 $4.56

-15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,757

$3.66 $3.66

6.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,692

$3.06 $3.06

22.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.00 $2.00

-44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₡1,447

$2.36 $2.36

36.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 ₡2,706

$8.60 $8.60

-30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.84 ₡8,919

$14.97 $14.97

32.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,264

$1.67 $1.67

68.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ₡1,643

$3.64 $3.64

0.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡487

$2.04 $2.04

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₡29.3K

$60.2 $60.2

8.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$3.60 $3.60

-37.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡799

$1.32 $1.32

34.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ₡3,551

$15.28 $15.28

-48.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡673

$1.00 $1.00

50.00%

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

$33.5K ₡15.1M

$29.4K $29.4K

13.85%

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

$42.3K ₡19.0M

$25.3K $25.3K

67.11%

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

$93.2 ₡41.9K

$175 $175

-46.67%

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

$36.13 ₡16.2K

$52.4 $52.4

-30.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$62.6 $62.6

-3.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 ₡31.0K

$34.71 $34.71

98.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ₡3,449

$11.88 $11.88

-35.44%

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

$972 ₡436.9K

$1,311 $1,311

-25.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K ₡8.5M

$25.0K $25.0K

-24.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 ₡31.8K

$38.84 $38.84

81.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 ₡25.5K

$31.63 $31.63

79.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.8K

$85.4 $85.4

50.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$93.3 $93.3

40.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 ₡525.9K

$1,571 $1,571

-25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 ₡424.1K

$911 $911

3.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ₡892.0K

$2,602 $2,602

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 ₡629.5K

$1,270 $1,270

10.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₡1.2M

$1,910 $1,910

40.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,037 ₡915.8K

$1,919 $1,919

6.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 ₡443.6K

$4,327 $4,327

-77.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.64

29.82%

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

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Last update for High Point, NC: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$943 44.8%

High Point, NC

$911 41.9% 3.4% $33

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 19.1%

High Point, NC

$430 19.8% 6.8% $28

Eating Out

San Jose

$232 11%

High Point, NC

$293 13.5% 26.3% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$190 9%

High Point, NC

$290 13.3% 52.5% $100

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 8.3%

High Point, NC

$112 5.2% 35.6% $62

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$84 4%

High Point, NC

$58 2.7% 30.6% $26

Getting Around

San Jose

$81 3.8%

High Point, NC

$79 3.6% 2.7% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,170 in San Jose and $1,571 in High Point, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

High Point, NC pays about 4.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in San Jose vs $81 in High Point, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $430 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 High Point, NC

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

16:00 4:00 PM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

104,371

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 USD = 0.895 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 November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose High Point, NC 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
High Point, NC

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 High Point, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,107 in San Jose and $2,173 in High Point, NC, so San Jose is about 3% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in San Jose. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,170 in San Jose versus $1,571 in High Point, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose – a meal for two runs $62 versus $81 in High Point, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $2,107 per month in San Jose versus $2,173 in High Point, NC – San Jose is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $2,500 a month, though San Jose gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – San Jose wins on affordability, High Point, NC on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.