Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Oxnard, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $3,186 in Oxnard, CA, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 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
156

Cost of Living Index in Oxnard, CA
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Oxnard, CA Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Oxnard, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,938 in San Jose versus $3,186 in Oxnard, CA.

San Jose $1,938
Oxnard, CA $3,186

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in San Jose versus $4,226 in Oxnard, CA.

San Jose $2,936
Oxnard, CA $4,226

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,934 in San Jose versus $5,265 in Oxnard, CA.

San Jose $3,934
Oxnard, CA $5,265

Living in San Jose costs roughly 39% less than in Oxnard, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 44% above, Oxnard, CA 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$20.32 $20.32

-39.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$65.1 $65.1

-6.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$11.71 $11.71

-2.22%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$5.76 $5.76

-23.78%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.69 $2.69

0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$2.03 $2.03

-4.93%

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

$9.48 $9.48

-53.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.19 $1.19

105.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$5.71 $5.71

-46.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$4.30 $4.30

-43.95%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$4.98 $4.98

-31.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$12.34 $12.34

-12.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$20.32 $20.32

-48.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$13.99 $13.99

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$4.39 $4.39

19.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.78 $1.78

-10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$4.15 $4.15

13.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$6.60 $6.60

-40.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$3.58 $3.58

9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$1.96 $1.96

87.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.39 $2.39

-53.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$2.19 $2.19

45.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$9.88 $9.88

-39.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$14.85 $14.85

31.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$1.78 $1.78

58.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$3.25 $3.25

10.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$1.48 $1.48

-24.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$4.38 $4.38

-42.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.82 $1.82

-10.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$35.90 $35.90

-76.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.29 $1.29

20.93%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$37.6K $37.6K

-40.41%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$25.7K $25.7K

38.53%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$129 $129

-26.06%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$53.2 $53.2

-33.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$69.4 $69.4

-15.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$61.6 $61.6

17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$11.77 $11.77

-35.60%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$1,187 $1,187

-15.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$42.6K $42.6K

-59.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$37.90 $37.90

85.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$41.18 $41.18

35.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$59.1 $59.1

119.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$81.0 $81.0

61.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,995 $1,995

-53.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,922 $1,922

-59.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$3,359 $3,359

-41.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$2,445 $2,445

-47.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

$5,838 $5,838

-61.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$5,922 $5,922

-69.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$3,379 $3,379

-69.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.1

41.31%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Oxnard, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Oxnard, CA

$1.9K 60.3% 148% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Oxnard, CA

$465 14.6% 15.9% $64

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Oxnard, CA

$345 10.8% 50.4% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Oxnard, CA

$251 7.9% 32.7% $62

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Oxnard, CA

$99 3.1% 43.4% $75

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Oxnard, CA

$85 2.7% 3.1% $2.7

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Oxnard, CA

$19 * 0.6% 76.3% $63

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 $927 in San Jose and $1,995 in Oxnard, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oxnard, CA pays 232% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in San Jose vs $65.0 in Oxnard, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $465 per month, with San Jose cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Oxnard, CA

🕒 Local time

20:51 8:51 PM

19:51 7:51 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

207,254

💱 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 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose Oxnard, CA 4,470 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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

San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 232% lower in Oxnard, CA. 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: $927 in San Jose versus $1,995 in Oxnard, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Oxnard, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,938 per month in San Jose versus $3,186 in Oxnard, CA – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,938 in San Jose versus $3,186 in Oxnard, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Oxnard, 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 Oxnard, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Oxnard, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.