Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Newport News, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,521 in Newport News, VA, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 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
120

Cost of Living Index in Newport News, VA
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Newport News, VA Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,107

/mo nomad

Newport News, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,521

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Newport News, VA

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 Newport News, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,107 in San Jose versus $2,521 in Newport News, VA.

San Jose $2,107
Newport News, VA $2,521

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,081 in San Jose versus $3,659 in Newport News, VA.

San Jose $3,081
Newport News, VA $3,659

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,054 in San Jose versus $4,797 in Newport News, VA.

San Jose $4,054
Newport News, VA $4,797

Living in San Jose costs roughly 16% less than in Newport News, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 56% above, Newport News, VA 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.37 ₡5,563

$24.12 $24.12

-48.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 ₡28.0K

$61.0 $61.0

2.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 ₡5,264

$10.32 $10.32

13.47%

Cappuccino

$4.54 ₡2,040

$6.08 $6.08

-25.33%

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

$2.75 ₡1,238

$2.59 $2.59

6.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡837

$1.99 $1.99

-6.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,505

$8.12 $8.12

-58.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,944

$8.18 $8.18

-47.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₡1,061

$0.95 $0.95

148.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₡1,379

$3.68 $3.68

-16.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₡1,128

$3.44 $3.44

-27.03%

Eggs

$3.53 ₡1,585

$2.89 $2.89

22.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 ₡4,738

$7.59 $7.59

38.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 ₡4,754

$11.21 $11.21

-5.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 ₡6,261

$18.58 $18.58

-25.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 ₡2,338

$7.47 $7.47

-30.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₡740

$1.02 $1.02

61.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 ₡2,198

$5.04 $5.04

-2.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 ₡1,728

$4.07 $4.07

-5.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 ₡1,757

$2.74 $2.74

42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,692

$3.15 $3.15

19.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡504

$2.11 $2.11

-46.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 ₡1,447

$2.66 $2.66

21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 ₡2,706

$9.01 $9.01

-33.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.84 ₡8,919

$15.97 $15.97

24.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,264

$1.70 $1.70

65.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ₡1,643

$5.67 $5.67

-35.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡487

$2.04 $2.04

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₡29.3K

$55.3 $55.3

18.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ₡1,018

$3.75 $3.75

-39.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 ₡799

$1.29 $1.29

37.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 ₡3,551

$24.97 $24.97

-68.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡673

$0.97 $0.97

54.64%

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

$33.5K ₡15.1M

$27.7K $27.7K

20.68%

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

$42.3K ₡19.0M

$25.9K $25.9K

63.29%

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

$93.2 ₡41.9K

$208 $208

-55.25%

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

$36.13 ₡16.2K

$81.6 $81.6

-55.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 ₡27.2K

$79.2 $79.2

-23.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 ₡31.0K

$53.8 $53.8

28.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 ₡11.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ₡3,449

$13.43 $13.43

-42.89%

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

$972 ₡436.9K

$2,912 $2,912

-66.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K ₡8.5M

$16.6K $16.6K

13.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 ₡31.8K

$54.8 $54.8

28.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 ₡25.5K

$44.34 $44.34

27.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₡57.8K

$104 $104

23.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.8K

$128 $128

2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 ₡525.9K

$1,390 $1,390

-15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 ₡424.1K

$1,079 $1,079

-12.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ₡892.0K

$1,922 $1,922

3.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 ₡629.5K

$1,733 $1,733

-19.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₡1.2M

$2,436 $2,436

10.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,037 ₡915.8K

$1,998 $1,998

1.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$987 ₡443.6K

$3,890 $3,890

-74.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.54

31.80%

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

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Last update for Newport News, VA: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$943 44.8%

Newport News, VA

$1.1K 42.8% 14.4% $136

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 19.1%

Newport News, VA

$397 15.7% 1.5% $5.9

Eating Out

San Jose

$232 11%

Newport News, VA

$372 14.8% 60.2% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$190 9%

Newport News, VA

$369 14.6% 94.3% $179

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 8.3%

Newport News, VA

$149 5.9% 14.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$84 4%

Newport News, VA

$81 3.2% 4.2% $3.6

Getting Around

San Jose

$81 3.8%

Newport News, VA

$74 2.9% 8.8% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,170 in San Jose and $1,390 in Newport News, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newport News, VA pays about 3.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in San Jose vs $61 in Newport News, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $397 per month, with Newport News, VA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Newport News, VA

🕒 Local time

23:41 11:41 PM

00:41 12:41 AM

1 h ahead of San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

186,247

💱 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 = 0.891 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 = 505 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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San Jose Newport News, VA 3,100 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Newport News, VA

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 Newport News, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,107 in San Jose and $2,521 in Newport News, VA, so San Jose is about 16% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% 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 $1,390 in Newport News, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $972 in San Jose versus $2,912 in Newport News, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $2,107 per month in San Jose versus $2,521 in Newport News, VA – San Jose is about 16% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $2,107 in San Jose versus $2,521 in Newport News, VA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Newport News, VA. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Newport News, VA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.