Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose and Union City, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,924 a month against $4,153 in Union City, CA, rent and utilities included – about $26,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

93

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index
199

Cost of Living Index in Union City, CA
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Union City, CA Living Index

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San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,924

/mo nomad

Union City, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,153

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,924 per month in San Jose vs $4,153 in Union City, CA, rent included.

San Jose $1,924
Union City, CA $4,153

A couple spends around $2,926 per month in San Jose vs $6,121 in Union City, CA, rent included.

San Jose $2,926
Union City, CA $6,121

A family of three spends $3,929 per month in San Jose vs $8,090 in Union City, CA, rent included.

San Jose $3,929
Union City, CA $8,090

San Jose is about 54% cheaper than Union City, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Jose and Union City, CA sit above the global median – San Jose by 42%, Union City, CA by 206%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.29 ₡5,513

$22.48 $22.48

-45.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡27.9K

$101 $101

-38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 ₡5,171

$13.05 $13.05

-11.65%

Cappuccino

$4.35 ₡1,953

$5.59 $5.59

-22.18%

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

$2.64 ₡1,183

$2.95 $2.95

-10.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₡836

$2.45 $2.45

-24.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 ₡1,490

$8.02 $8.02

-58.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ₡2,026

$9.84 $9.84

-54.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 ₡1,073

$1.27 $1.27

88.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 ₡1,381

$4.53 $4.53

-32.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₡1,119

$4.01 $4.01

-37.66%

Eggs

$3.48 ₡1,562

$5.99 $5.99

-41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,815

$20.01 $20.01

-46.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 ₡4,629

$13.12 $13.12

-21.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 ₡6,325

$9.05 $9.05

55.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 ₡2,256

$5.19 $5.19

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡714

$1.95 $1.95

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 ₡2,171

$2.68 $2.68

80.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,776

$4.35 $4.35

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 ₡1,684

$2.23 $2.23

68.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$2.91 $2.91

28.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡485

$2.44 $2.44

-55.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,456

$2.50 $2.50

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 ₡2,627

$11.66 $11.66

-49.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.28 ₡9,095

$15.61 $15.61

29.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₡1,300

$2.45 $2.45

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₡1,673

$3.30 $3.30

13.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₡486

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 ₡29.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ₡1,123

$3.52 $3.52

-28.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡732

$1.87 $1.87

-12.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 ₡3,904

$29.63 $29.63

-70.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ₡709

$1.52 $1.52

3.95%

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

$33.6K ₡15.1M

$27.3K $27.3K

23.08%

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

$41.7K ₡18.7M

$26.9K $26.9K

54.85%

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

$93.7 ₡42.0K

$279 $279

-66.49%

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

$35.42 ₡15.9K

$47.53 $47.53

-25.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 ₡26.9K

$82.7 $82.7

-27.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.6 ₡32.6K

$42.49 $42.49

70.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.83 ₡11.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.74 ₡3,471

$16.76 $16.76

-53.82%

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

$1,005 ₡450.9K

$1,841 $1,841

-45.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

$39.2K $39.2K

-56.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ₡32.8K

$41.10 $41.10

77.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 ₡24.9K

$51.6 $51.6

7.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡57.5K

$87.7 $87.7

46.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.5K

$122 $122

6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 ₡418.0K

$3,505 $3,505

-73.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₡340.8K

$2,728 $2,728

-72.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 ₡862.0K

$4,794 $4,794

-59.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₡572.1K

$4,944 $4,944

-74.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 ₡1.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 ₡821.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 ₡461.3K

$7,169 $7,169

-85.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.67

29.24%

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

Last update for San Jose: October 18, 2026

Last update for Union City, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Jose

$760 39.5%

Union City, CA

$2.7K 65.7% 259% $2K

Groceries & Markets

San Jose

$403 21%

Union City, CA

$423 10.2% 5% $20

Eating Out

San Jose

$229 11.9%

Union City, CA

$367 8.9% 60.5% $139

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Jose

$189 9.8%

Union City, CA

$410 9.9% 117% $221

Clothing & Footwear

San Jose

$174 9.1%

Union City, CA

$136 3.3% 21.9% $38

Sport & Entertainment

San Jose

$88 4.6%

Union City, CA

$76 1.8% 13.7% $12

Getting Around

San Jose

$80 4.2%

Union City, CA

$13 * 0.3% 84% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in San Jose versus $3,505 in Union City, CA. 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 597% higher in Union City, CA, 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 $62.0 in San Jose versus $101 in Union City, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 vs $423 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Jose

🇺🇸 Union City, CA

🕒 Local time

07:15 7:15 AM

06:15 6:15 AM

1 h behind San Jose

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

342,188 Capital

63,930

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Jose Union City, CA 4,880 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Union City, CA is pricier by about 116%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,886 per month in San Jose and $6,229 in Union City, 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,924 in San Jose and $4,153 in Union City, CA. That's a gap of about 116%.

Kindergarten costs $1,005 per month in San Jose and $1,841 in Union City, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,924, than in Union City, CA at $4,153. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Union City, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Jose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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