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Moving to Cupertino, CA? 2023 Living Costs & Relocation Tips

Photo by Joe Ravi, CC-BY-SA 3.0

Cupertino borders San Jose and is famous for being Apple’s headquarters. It’s also home to HP and Oracle, so it will come as no surprise to know that this is a very affluent part of Silicon Valley. Forbes also lists the town as being one of the most educated small towns in California.

If you are considering moving to Cupertino, the various costs listed below will help you make an informed decision on what costs are involved when moving and living in this part of Silicon Valley.

Quick Cupertino Facts:

  1. Population: 60,572 (2017 estimate)
  2. Official Language: English (de facto) with many other languages being spoken such as Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, French, German and Russian.
  3. GDP Per Capita: $71,812 USD (2017 estimate)
  4. “Happy”: Cupertino has been voted one of the happiest suburbs in the United States.
  5. Currency: US Dollar (US$). As of early 2017, £1 = $1.25, €1 = $1.08, $1 CAD = $0.75, $1 AUD = $0.77

1. Moving and Shipping Costs to Cupertino

Below are some sample container shipping costs to Cupertino from other major world cities. Just keep in mind they only reflect the shipping portion of the cost and not the full moving costs.

Source: WorldFreightRates.com

You can save money by comparing moving companies using our moving quote form above.

2. Cupertino Housing Costs

Property in Cupertino is expensive but high salaries go some way towards compensating for the high cost.

Monthly Rental Prices in Cupertino

  • 1 bedroom flat (apartment) in City Centre: $2,466+
  • 1 bedroom flat outside the City Centre: Not available
  • 2 bedroom flat in City Centre: $3,143+
  • 3 bedroom flat outside the City Centre: Not available

Source: Rent Jungle

Cupertino Home Purchase Prices

  • Price per square metre (10.7 square feet) to buy in City Centre: Not available
  • Price per square metre (10.7 square feet) to buy outside City: Not available

Cupertino Housing Cost Comparison

Rental comparisons for Cupertino are unavailable. San Jose is the nearest town so figures for this town have been used but please note that Cupertino is generally more expensive than San Jose.

London is 16.47% cheaper
New York 19.89% higher
Los Angeles is 19.65% cheaper
Toronto is 52.29% cheaper
Sydney is 20.65% cheaper
Paris is 48.41% cheaper
Dubai is 12.43% cheaper

Source: Numbeo

How to Save on Housing Costs

  • Share an apartment. Have a look at the following sites: Easyroommate, Kangaroom, Craigslist, Trulia, Zillow and For Rent.
  • Different areas – different prices: Cupertino has 12 different neighbourhoods and is 146th largest community in California. Cupertino real estate is considered some of the most expensive in the United States. During the last ten years, prices have increased by 57.56%. The median price for property is $1,783,600.

3. Cupertino Food, Grocery and Restaurant Costs

Cupertino has a good selection of restaurants, bars and food stores.

  1. Inexpensive Restaurant: $8 – $18
  2. Takeout Coffee:  $2.00 – $4.50
  3. Bottle of Coke:  $1.00 – $2.00
  4. 1L of milk:  $0.79 – $1.19
  5. Loaf of Bread:  $1.38 – $3.31
  6. 12 Eggs:  $2.00 – $4.00
  7. 1kg Chicken: $5.51 – $11.02
  8. 1kg Beef:  $9.68 – $13.23
  9. 1kg Apples: $1.55 – $6.61
  10. 1kg White Rice: $3.95 – $8.82

This is how restaurants and food prices compare with other major cities in the world:

  • London restaurants are 18.26% more expensive and groceries are 34.95% cheaper than Cupertino.
  • New York restaurants are 24.04% more expensive and groceries are 16.40% more expensive than Cupertino.
  • Los Angeles restaurants are 7.68% more expensive and groceries are 7.66% cheaper than Cupertino.
  • Toronto restaurants are 11.64% cheaper and groceries are 29.25% cheaper than Cupertino.
  • Sydney restaurants are 0.83% cheaper and groceries are 0.31% cheaper than Cupertino.
  • Paris restaurants are 8.04% cheaper and groceries are 9.24% cheaper than Cupertino.
  • Dubai restaurants are 14.96% cheaper and groceries are 38.97% cheaper than Cupertino.

Source: Numbeo

Bonus Tips for Cheaper Food, Restaurants and Groceries

4. Cupertino Alcohol Costs

Cupertino has a great selection of bars, clubs and restaurants to relax in at lunchtime, after work or at weekends.

  • Pint (0.5L) domestic beer at a restaurant/pub: $3.00 – $5.00
  • Bottle of imported beer at a restaurant/pub: $4.00 – $6.00
  • Pint (0.5L) domestic beer at a supermarket: $1.00 – $2.00
  • Bottle of imported beer at a supermarket: $1.50 – $4.00
  • Mid-range bottle of wine at a supermarket: $6.00 – $15.00

How to drink for less in Cupertino

  • Keep an eye on the local papers and websites for specials over weekends and public holidays.
  • Have a look at the following sites for ideas of where to go to get a drink that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg – Yelp, The Happy Hour Finder, TripAdvisor and Zomato.

5. Cupertino Transportation Fares

The public transportation system in Cupertino is run by VTA. There is a bus and a train system which serves the town and the whole area.

Here are some example ticket costs.

  • Adult Single – $2.00
  • One day ticket – Clipper – $6.00
  • Monthly season ticket, unlimited – $70

How to save money on public transport

  • Buy a Clipper card to qualify for various discounts
  • Buy a bike. Cupertino is a bike friendly city and many people cycle to work.
  • If you live relatively close to where you work, you can walk to work.

6. Cost of Internet in Cupertino

  • Xfintiy: From $29.99/month for for 10 mbps.
  • AT&T: From $40.00/mo for 45 mbps

7. Cost of Clothing, Personal Items, Gym and Leisure

Cupertino’s hottest month is in April where the temperature reaches an average high of 77°F (25°C). Its coldest month is in January, where the average temperature plummets to 72°F (22°C)! September is the wettest month with an average rainfall of 10 inches (240mm).

Cupertino enjoys around 300 days of sunshine a year.

Here are some clothing prices, together with other useful prices.

  • Pair of Jeans: $35 – $60
  • Summer Dress: $25 – $60
  • Running Shoes (Trainers): $60 – $120
  • Business Shoes: $75 – $150
  • Short Doctor’s visit (15 mins): $115
  • Deodorant: $4.00
  • Shampoo: $5.60
  • Toilet Paper (4 rolls): $3.91
  • Gym membership: $30-$70 per month
  • Movie (cinema) ticket: $12-$15

Source: Numbeo

8. Cost of Owning a Car and Driving a Car in Cupertino

Driving in Cupertino is much more relaxed than driving in many cities in the States, however, rush hour can be frustrating.

If you’re moving to Cupertino from within the US, you’ll be able to keep your license but need to update your address to your new one.

You can drive on a foreign license for up to 12 months as a tourist but after that you will need to get an American license. If you are working or studying in the US, you can drive on your foreign license for 30 days. If you want to exchange your foreign driver’s license you have to follow the process here.

Here are some other sample costs of owning and operating a car in Cupertino:

  • Volkswagen Golf:$20,000
  • 1 litre (¼ gallon) of gas (petrol):$0.76
  • Other fees (if any): The average cost of state and local taxes, license, title and registration fees is $665 per annum

Source: Numbeo, AAA Study

Ways to save money driving in Cupertino

  • Car sharing or pooling is one way to save money. Try Car Pool World, Yelp, and eRideshare.
  • Taxis can sometimes be a cheaper option, especially if you are going to have to park all day. Try Uber or Lyft.

Need your car/vehicle moved to Cupertino? Then read our guide to: Car Transport & Vehicle Shipping

9. Taxes in Cupertino

No matter where you live in California, you will pay state and federal tax. To learn more about the different taxes in the States go to Immihelp and USA taxes.

Sales Tax in Cupertino is 8.75% and is added to most goods and services. Generally, the price you see on an item does not include sales tax.

If you own your home, you will be subject to property tax based on the area in which you live and the size of the property you live in. Learn more about property tax in Cupertino at Property Tax.

Finally, if you decide to buy an apartment or house in Cupertino you’ll have to pay real estate transfer tax.

10. Flight Costs from Cupertino

If you do make the move to Cupertino, here’s approximately how much it will cost to fly to other major world cities based on lowest, one-way fares from Skyscanner as of early 2017:

  • London: $346
  • Los Angeles: $59
  • New York: $125
  • Toronto: $163
  • Vancouver: $89
  • Dubai: $626
  • Sydney: $590
  • Melbourne: $582
  • Cape Town: $942
  • Hong Kong: $389

Other Tips on Moving to Cupertino

The costs and pricing above should give you a good idea of the cost of living in Cupertino but perhaps the following extra tips will make your move go smoothly.

11. Moving to Cupertino Alone

Relocating anywhere can be a lonely experience, but moving to a new city can be rather daunting. Here are a few tips about settling in Los Cupertino.

  • Meetups: There are many Meetup groups to choose from. You will definitely find something to join which will help you to settle in. There are many high tech groups, outdoorsy groups and much more.
  • Attend local events: There’s always lots going on in Cupertino and Silicon Valley. Have a look at TripAdvisor, Yelp, Aloft Cupertino and Facebook.

12. Moving to Cupertino with a Family

Cupertino, Silicon Valley and the Bay Area have a lot to attract families. There are beaches, countryside and lots of art, drama and social events.

  • New parents (or parents to be): There are free and paid antenatal classes and courses. Have a look at PAMF and Harmony Mama.
  • Live in a family friendly area: If you are looking for country living, then head to the western edge of Cupertino. It is expensive but the schools are excellent and there’s lots of space for the kids. If you head north, you’ll find one of the newest developments – Oak Valley – which is also an ideal family area and a little cheaper than living in the west.
  • Find things to do with the kids: Have a look at the following sites for ideas – Yelp, TripAdvisor, Winnie and Trekaroo.

13. Moving to Cupertino for Work

People generally move to Cupertino for work. It is obviously draws people from around the world who are into high tech. However, there are also jobs in finance, education, health and other service industries.

Here are a few things to consider when moving for work:

  • Salary: Salaries vary enormously depending which industry you are in. The costs we outlined above should give you a rough idea, how much more you’ll want to be making to make the move worthwhile. You can also check salary ranges on sites such as Glassdoor and Payscale.
  • How to find work: If you want to have a job lined up before you move to Cupertino, but aren’t sure where to begin, the following sites are good places to start:Monster, Indeed, Snagajob and Craigslist. You may also want to google recruiters in your industry, as they can often help land you some initial interviews as well.

14. Moving to Cupertino from Australia

There’s a large group of Australians living in Silicon Valley. It is estimated that there are 20,000 software engineers before you begin on other skills, so if you are thinking of joining them, here are a few things to consider.

  • Size comparison: If you compare the population size of Cupertino with a city in Australia, then the closest would be Wagga Wagga in NSW. If you compare the population size of Silicon Valley with a city in Australia, then the closest would be a slightly larger version of Brisbane.
  • Join expat groups: There are a number of expat groups enabling you to meet fellow Aussies. Internations (San Jose and Cupertino) and Meetup.

15. Moving to Cupertino from Canada

There are over 350,000 Canadians living and working in Silicon Valley so if you’re considering making the move from Canada here are a few things to consider.

  • Size: Granby, Quebec is very close in size to the population of Cupertino. If you look at the population size of the whole of Silicon Valley, the nearest sized city in Canada would be somewhere between Vancouver and Montreal.
  • Expat groups: Meeting up with fellow Canadians helps the moving process. Link up through sites such as Meetup (Cupertino) and Meetup (San Jose).

16. Moving to Cupertino from the United Kingdom

There is a large Brit contingent living in Cupertino, drawn by the high-tech environment.

  • Size: If you compare the population size of Cupertino with a town in the UK, then you would be looking at Taunton, Somerset. If you compare the population size of the whole of Silicon Valley with the size of a city in the UK, then think of a city a little less than half the size of London.
  • Expat groups: If you want to get together with others from the UK who are living in Cupertino and Silicon Valley, then go to Internations and Meetup.

Hopefully, the tips and costs above are helpful. If want to get started pricing out how much it will cost you to move to Cupertino you can start by comparing moving quotes here.

Guides to other cities in the Bay Area & Silicon Valley

Guides to other cities in California

Guides to moving and living in other American cities

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