Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ventura, CA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $3,414 in Ventura, CA, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

165

Cost of Living Index in Ventura, CA
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Ventura, CA Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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Ventura, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,414

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,414 per month in Ventura, CA vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

Ventura, CA $3,414
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $4,634 per month in Ventura, CA vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

Ventura, CA $4,634
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $5,854 per month in Ventura, CA vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

Ventura, CA $5,854
San Jose $3,934

Ventura, CA costs about 76% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ventura, CA and San Jose sit above the global median – Ventura, CA by 153%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.16 $25.16

$12.38 ₡5,551

103.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 $70.5

$60.9 ₡27.3K

15.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$11.45 ₡5,135

1.05%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$4.39 ₡1,967

30.52%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$2.70 ₡1,211

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.93 ₡864

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$3.20 ₡1,433

112.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$4.41 ₡1,979

103.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$2.44 ₡1,093

-50.82%

White Bread (500g)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.05 ₡1,369

89.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.41 ₡1,081

-10.37%

Eggs

$4.98 $4.98

$3.40 ₡1,523

46.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$10.75 ₡4,823

-20.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 $8.55

$10.43 ₡4,679

-18.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 $13.70

$13.99 ₡6,273

-2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.25 ₡2,353

-37.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.59 ₡712

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$4.69 ₡2,103

-31.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.95 ₡1,770

8.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$3.92 ₡1,760

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.68 ₡1,651

-5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.12 ₡503

78.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.19 ₡1,429

-30.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 $9.95

$6.00 ₡2,692

65.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$19.56 ₡8,771

-24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.82 ₡1,263

-38.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.59 ₡1,611

-23.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.12 ₡503

30.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.56 $49.56

$66.8 ₡30.0K

-25.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.50 ₡1,119

75.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.63 ₡733

15.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.64 $35.64

$8.50 ₡3,812

319.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.56 ₡701

-8.33%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

65.57%

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)

$149 $149

$95.2 ₡42.7K

56.74%

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

$57.1 $57.1

$35.58 ₡16.0K

60.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$58.6 ₡26.3K

17.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 $55.3

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-23.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 $19.88

$24.85 ₡11.1K

-20.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 $11.81

$7.58 ₡3,401

55.80%

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

$1,099 $1,099

$1,001 ₡449.0K

9.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.3K $43.3K

$17.1K ₡7.7M

152.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 $49.63

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-29.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.18 $30.18

$55.8 ₡25.0K

-45.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 $67.5

$130 ₡58.2K

-47.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 $84.1

$131 ₡58.7K

-35.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,389 $2,389

$927 ₡415.8K

157.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,150 $2,150

$774 ₡347.2K

177.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,270 $3,270

$1,967 ₡882.0K

66.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,027 $3,027

$1,288 ₡577.6K

135.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,616 $6,616

$2,274 ₡1.0M

190.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,067 $6,067

$1,831 ₡821.0K

231.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,772 $4,772

$1,016 ₡455.8K

369.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

8.62

-25.29%

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

Last update for Ventura, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ventura, CA

$2.2K 63%

San Jose

$774 40% 64% $1.4K

Eating Out

Ventura, CA

$376 11%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 39% $147

Groceries & Markets

Ventura, CA

$360 10.5%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 11.4% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ventura, CA

$275 8.1%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 31.2% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Ventura, CA

$104 3.1%

San Jose

$174 9% 67.2% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Ventura, CA

$79 2.3%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 11.3% $8.9

Getting Around

Ventura, CA

$69 2%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 18.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,389 in Ventura, CA 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 370% higher in Ventura, 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 $70.0 in Ventura, CA versus $61.0 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Ventura, CA vs $401 in San Jose – so Ventura, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ventura, CA

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

17:24 5:24 PM

18:24 6:24 PM

1 h ahead of Ventura, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

104,423

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 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

Ventura, CA San Jose 4,490 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ventura, CA
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

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

Yes – Ventura, CA is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,121 per month in Ventura, CA 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 $70.0 in Ventura, CA 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 $3,414 in Ventura, CA and $1,938 in San Jose. That's a gap of about 76%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in Ventura, CA at $3,414. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ventura, 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, Ventura, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.