Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Scottsdale, AZ and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,911 in Scottsdale, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in Scottsdale, AZ
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Scottsdale, AZ Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Scottsdale, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,911

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Scottsdale, AZ and in San Jose

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Scottsdale, AZ and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,911 per month in Scottsdale, AZ vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Scottsdale, AZ $2,911
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $4,339 per month in Scottsdale, AZ vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Scottsdale, AZ $4,339
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $5,767 per month in Scottsdale, AZ vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Scottsdale, AZ $5,767
San Jose $3,934

Scottsdale, AZ costs about 50% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Scottsdale, AZ and San Jose sit above the global median – Scottsdale, AZ by 116%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$12.38 ₡5,551

58.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 $85.9

$60.9 ₡27.3K

41.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.83 $12.83

$11.45 ₡5,135

12.05%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$4.39 ₡1,967

21.18%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$2.70 ₡1,211

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.93 ₡864

23.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.20 ₡1,433

90.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$4.41 ₡1,979

78.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.44 ₡1,093

-58.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.05 ₡1,369

33.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.41 ₡1,081

106.22%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$3.40 ₡1,523

32.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$10.75 ₡4,823

27.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$10.43 ₡4,679

7.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.13 $17.13

$13.99 ₡6,273

22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.25 ₡2,353

-16.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.59 ₡712

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.69 ₡2,103

-19.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.95 ₡1,770

5.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.92 ₡1,760

-27.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.68 ₡1,651

-23.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.12 ₡503

89.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.19 ₡1,429

-17.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$6.00 ₡2,692

77.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 $13.49

$19.56 ₡8,771

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.82 ₡1,263

-11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.59 ₡1,611

-7.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.12 ₡503

101.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.51 $42.51

$66.8 ₡30.0K

-36.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.50 ₡1,119

10.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.63 ₡733

-17.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.81 $35.81

$8.50 ₡3,812

321.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.56 ₡701

-23.72%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

63.55%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-28.61%

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

$200 $200

$95.2 ₡42.7K

110.34%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$35.58 ₡16.0K

79.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$58.6 ₡26.3K

28.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.23 $34.23

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-52.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 $10.04

$24.85 ₡11.1K

-59.60%

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 $13.71

$7.58 ₡3,401

80.87%

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

$1,238 $1,238

$1,001 ₡449.0K

23.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

17.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 $43.13

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-22.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 $99.2

$130 ₡58.2K

-23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$131 ₡58.7K

1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,387 $2,387

$927 ₡415.8K

157.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 $1,567

$774 ₡347.2K

102.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,230 $3,230

$1,967 ₡882.0K

64.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,760 $2,760

$1,288 ₡577.6K

114.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,759 $3,759

$2,274 ₡1.0M

65.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,744 $4,744

$1,831 ₡821.0K

159.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,671 $5,671

$1,016 ₡455.8K

457.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

8.62

-23.20%

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

Last update for Scottsdale, AZ: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Scottsdale, AZ

$1.6K 53.8%

San Jose

$774 40% 50.6% $793

Groceries & Markets

Scottsdale, AZ

$406 14%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 1.3% $5.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Scottsdale, AZ

$339 11.7%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 44.2% $150

Eating Out

Scottsdale, AZ

$327 11.2%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 29.9% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Scottsdale, AZ

$149 5.1%

San Jose

$174 9% 17.1% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Scottsdale, AZ

$62 2.1%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 42.5% $26

Getting Around

Scottsdale, AZ

$61 2.1%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 34.3% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,387 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $927 in San Jose. 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 458% higher in Scottsdale, AZ, 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 $86.0 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $61.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $401 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Scottsdale, AZ

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

13:33 1:33 PM

14:33 2:33 PM

1 h ahead of Scottsdale, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

241,361

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

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).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Scottsdale, AZ San Jose 3,870 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Scottsdale, AZ
San Jose

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

Scottsdale, AZ vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Scottsdale, AZ is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,366 per month in Scottsdale, AZ and $2,907 in San Jose. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Scottsdale, AZ and $61.0 in San Jose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,911 in Scottsdale, AZ and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 50%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Scottsdale, AZ at $2,911. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Scottsdale, AZ 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.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Scottsdale, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.