Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Los Gatos, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $4,903 in Los Gatos, CA, rent and utilities included – about $35,600 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
236

Cost of Living Index in Los Gatos, CA
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Los Gatos, CA Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Los Gatos, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,903

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $4,903 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
Los Gatos, CA $4,903

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $7,295 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
Los Gatos, CA $7,295

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $9,686 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
Los Gatos, CA $9,686

San Jose is about 60% cheaper than Los Gatos, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Los Gatos, CA sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, Los Gatos, CA by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$25.15 $25.15

-50.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$98.6 $98.6

-38.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$14.88 $14.88

-23.05%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$6.50 $6.50

-32.46%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$3.04 $3.04

-11.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$2.45 $2.45

-21.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$8.07 $8.07

-60.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$8.20 $8.20

-46.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.28 $1.28

90.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$4.41 $4.41

-30.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$4.80 $4.80

-49.79%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$6.56 $6.56

-48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$24.81 $24.81

-56.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$11.69 $11.69

-10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$13.00 $13.00

7.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$5.58 $5.58

-5.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$3.10 $3.10

-48.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$4.86 $4.86

-3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$5.70 $5.70

-30.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$3.39 $3.39

15.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$3.88 $3.88

-5.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$3.06 $3.06

-63.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$2.72 $2.72

17.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$7.36 $7.36

-18.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$12.81 $12.81

52.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$2.15 $2.15

31.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.55 $2.55

40.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$3.97 $3.97

-37.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$4.98 $4.98

-67.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.57 $1.57

-0.64%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$30.2K $30.2K

-25.80%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$26.4K $26.4K

34.74%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$374 $374

-74.57%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$58.0 $58.0

-38.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$61.8 $61.8

-5.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$147 $147

-50.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$17.05 $17.05

-55.54%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$2,282 $2,282

-56.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$24.0K $24.0K

-28.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$52.0 $52.0

35.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$39.24 $39.24

42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$75.1 $75.1

72.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$60.3 $60.3

117.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$3,440 $3,440

-73.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$3,222 $3,222

-75.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$6,089 $6,089

-78.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$3,511 $3,511

-35.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.69

28.85%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Los Gatos, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Los Gatos, CA

$3.2K 65.7% 316% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Los Gatos, CA

$473 9.6% 17.9% $72

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Los Gatos, CA

$403 8.2% 75.6% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Los Gatos, CA

$494 10.1% 161% $305

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Los Gatos, CA

$102 2.1% 41.4% $72

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Los Gatos, CA

$181 3.7% 106% $93

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Los Gatos, CA

$29 * 0.6% 64.8% $53

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $3,440 in Los Gatos, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose versus $99.0 in Los Gatos, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $473 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Los Gatos, CA

🕒 Local time

19:09 7:09 PM

18:09 6:09 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

30,222

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

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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San Jose Los Gatos, CA 4,860 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Los Gatos, CA costs about 153% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,907 per month in San Jose and $7,355 in Los Gatos, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in San Jose and $99.0 in Los Gatos, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Los Gatos, 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 Los Gatos, CA at $4,903. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Gatos, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,938 versus $4,903 in Los Gatos, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Los Gatos, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.