Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and New Westminster

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,526 in New Westminster, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 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
123

Cost of Living Index in New Westminster
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New Westminster Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

New Westminster

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in New Westminster

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 New Westminster actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,938 per month in San Jose vs $2,526 in New Westminster, rent included.

San Jose $1,938
New Westminster $2,526

A couple spends around $2,936 per month in San Jose vs $3,900 in New Westminster, rent included.

San Jose $2,936
New Westminster $3,900

A family of three spends $3,934 per month in San Jose vs $5,273 in New Westminster, rent included.

San Jose $3,934
New Westminster $5,273

San Jose is about 23% cheaper than New Westminster, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both San Jose and New Westminster sit above the global median – San Jose by 44%, New Westminster by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,562

$19.28 CA$27.40

-35.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$49.65 CA$70.6

22.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,145

$10.12 CA$14.39

13.14%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,971

$3.47 CA$4.93

26.51%

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

$2.70 ₡1,213

$1.85 CA$2.63

45.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡865

$1.55 CA$2.20

24.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,436

$5.77 CA$8.20

-44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,982

$5.63 CA$8.00

-21.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,095

$1.76 CA$2.50

38.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,372

$2.34 CA$3.32

30.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,083

$3.45 CA$4.90

-30.14%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,526

$3.01 CA$4.28

12.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,832

$10.80 CA$15.35

-0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,688

$15.33 CA$21.79

-31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,286

$26.67 CA$37.91

-47.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,357

$3.77 CA$5.37

39.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡713

$1.48 CA$2.10

7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,107

$3.60 CA$5.11

30.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,774

$3.66 CA$5.20

7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,763

$2.33 CA$3.32

68.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,655

$2.21 CA$3.15

66.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.33 CA$3.31

-51.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,432

$1.80 CA$2.56

77.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,697

$15.33 CA$21.79

-60.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,788

$10.63 CA$15.11

84.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,266

$2.02 CA$2.87

39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,614

$2.72 CA$3.86

31.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.52 CA$3.58

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$90.3 CA$128

-26.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,121

$2.05 CA$2.91

21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡734

$1.72 CA$2.44

-5.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,819

$22.76 CA$32.34

-62.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡702

$1.26 CA$1.79

23.81%

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

$22.4K ₡10.1M

$23.9K CA$33.9K

-6.07%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$19.0K CA$27.0K

87.35%

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

$95.2 ₡42.8K

$139 CA$197

-31.36%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$42.09 CA$59.8

-15.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$63.0 CA$89.5

-6.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.7K

$32.42 CA$46.08

124.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.2K

$17.27 CA$24.55

43.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,408

$11.94 CA$16.96

-36.52%

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

$1,001 ₡449.9K

$758 CA$1,078

32.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$8,536 CA$12.1K

100.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.7K

$52.3 CA$74.3

34.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.1K

$41.77 CA$59.4

33.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.3K

$77.5 CA$110

67.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$96.6 CA$137

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡416.6K

$1,548 CA$2,200

-40.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.9K

$1,319 CA$1,875

-41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡883.7K

$2,841 CA$4,038

-30.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡578.7K

$2,620 CA$3,724

-50.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$4,810 CA$6,836

-52.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡822.6K

$4,025 CA$5,721

-54.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡456.7K

$2,989 CA$4,248

-66.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.72

82.63%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for New Westminster: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

New Westminster

$1.3K 52.2% 70.4% $545

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

New Westminster

$396 15.7% 1.4% $5.5

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

New Westminster

$280 11.1% 22.1% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

New Westminster

$244 9.7% 28.7% $54

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

New Westminster

$121 4.8% 30.7% $53

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

New Westminster

$56 2.2% 35.9% $32

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

New Westminster

$111 4.4% 35.5% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $927 in San Jose versus $1,548 in New Westminster. 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 194% higher in New Westminster, 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 $50.0 in New Westminster. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $396 – making New Westminster the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇨🇦 New Westminster

🕒 Local time

19:32 7:32 PM

18:32 6:32 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

58,000

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR

1 CAD = 0.704 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 449 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 503 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

San Jose New Westminster 5,650 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
New Westminster

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 New Westminster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Westminster costs about 30% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $3,790 in New Westminster. 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 $758 in New Westminster. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in New Westminster – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in New Westminster at $2,526. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Westminster it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Jose costs $1,938 versus $2,526 in New Westminster. 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, New Westminster makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.