Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Port Coquitlam, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,485 in Port Coquitlam, BC, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Port Coquitlam, BC outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Port Coquitlam, BC
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Port Coquitlam, BC Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Port Coquitlam, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,485

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Jose and in Port Coquitlam, BC

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 Port Coquitlam, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,485 in Port Coquitlam, BC.

San Jose $1,938
Port Coquitlam, BC $2,485

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,936 in San Jose versus $3,403 in Port Coquitlam, BC.

San Jose $2,936
Port Coquitlam, BC $3,403

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,934 in San Jose versus $4,320 in Port Coquitlam, BC.

San Jose $3,934
Port Coquitlam, BC $4,320

Living in San Jose costs roughly 22% less than in Port Coquitlam, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose 44% above, Port Coquitlam, BC 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.38 ₡5,551

$14.22 CA$20.10

-12.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 ₡27.3K

$71.0 CA$100

-14.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 ₡5,135

$8.57 CA$12.11

33.61%

Cappuccino

$4.39 ₡1,967

$3.40 CA$4.81

29.12%

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

$2.70 ₡1,211

$2.12 CA$2.99

27.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡864

$1.58 CA$2.24

22.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ₡1,433

$5.65 CA$7.99

-43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 ₡1,979

$6.36 CA$8.99

-30.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,093

$1.77 CA$2.50

37.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,369

$2.48 CA$3.51

22.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₡1,081

$3.60 CA$5.09

-33.06%

Eggs

$3.40 ₡1,523

$3.13 CA$4.42

8.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ₡4,823

$11.78 CA$16.66

-8.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,679

$12.49 CA$17.65

-16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 ₡6,273

$14.17 CA$20.03

-1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ₡2,353

$3.96 CA$5.60

32.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡712

$1.32 CA$1.87

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.69 ₡2,103

$3.76 CA$5.32

24.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 ₡1,770

$3.92 CA$5.54

0.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 ₡1,760

$2.64 CA$3.74

48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.68 ₡1,651

$2.43 CA$3.43

51.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.49 CA$3.52

-55.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₡1,429

$1.56 CA$2.21

104.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 ₡2,692

$15.64 CA$22.11

-61.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.56 ₡8,771

$14.07 CA$19.89

39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,263

$2.64 CA$3.73

6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,611

$2.86 CA$4.04

25.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₡503

$2.03 CA$2.87

-44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 ₡30.0K

$109 CA$154

-38.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$2.67 CA$3.78

-6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡733

$1.62 CA$2.29

0.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₡3,812

$30.78 CA$43.51

-72.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ₡701

$1.38 CA$1.96

13.04%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$27.2K CA$38.5K

-17.75%

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

$35.6K ₡16.0M

$20.0K CA$28.3K

77.47%

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

$95.2 ₡42.7K

$80.6 CA$114

18.18%

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

$35.58 ₡16.0K

$37.11 CA$52.5

-4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 ₡26.3K

$51.0 CA$72.1

14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.7 ₡32.6K

$20.98 CA$29.66

246.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.85 ₡11.1K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 ₡3,401

$10.56 CA$14.93

-28.22%

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

$1,001 ₡449.0K

$1,106 CA$1,563

-9.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

$20.2K CA$28.6K

-15.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 ₡31.6K

$56.9 CA$80.4

23.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 ₡25.0K

$32.20 CA$45.52

73.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.2K

$83.0 CA$117

56.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.7K

$93.4 CA$132

40.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ₡415.8K

$1,568 CA$2,216

-40.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡347.2K

$1,431 CA$2,023

-45.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,967 ₡882.0K

$2,128 CA$3,009

-7.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 ₡577.6K

$1,856 CA$2,624

-30.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,831 ₡821.0K

$5,490 CA$7,761

-66.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,016 ₡455.8K

$2,284 CA$3,229

-55.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

4.28

101.40%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Last update for Port Coquitlam, BC: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$774 40%

Port Coquitlam, BC

$1.4K 57.6% 84.8% $657

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$401 20.7%

Port Coquitlam, BC

$361 14.5% 10.1% $40

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.8%

Port Coquitlam, BC

$236 9.5% 2.9% $6.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Port Coquitlam, BC

$169 6.8% 11% $21

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9%

Port Coquitlam, BC

$119 4.8% 31.4% $55

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.5%

Port Coquitlam, BC

$42 1.7% 52.1% $46

Getting Around

San Jose

$82 4.2%

Port Coquitlam, BC

$128 5.1% 55.7% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in San Jose and $1,568 in Port Coquitlam, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Coquitlam, BC pays 125% 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 $71.0 in Port Coquitlam, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $361, with Port Coquitlam, BC cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇨🇦 Port Coquitlam, BC

🕒 Local time

15:21 3:21 PM

14:21 2:21 PM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

61,498

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Jose Port Coquitlam, BC 5,650 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

San Jose
Port Coquitlam, BC

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 Port Coquitlam, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and transport. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Port Coquitlam, BC. 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 $1,568 in Port Coquitlam, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,001 in San Jose versus $1,106 in Port Coquitlam, BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Port Coquitlam, BC pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,938 in San Jose versus $2,485 in Port Coquitlam, BC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in San Jose but tight or insufficient in Port Coquitlam, BC. 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 Port Coquitlam, BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Jose and Port Coquitlam, BC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find San Jose gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Port Coquitlam, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.