what is the cost of living difference between Hong Kong and San Jose,
CA? I am looking for information on the cost of living difference (in
terms of housing, food, clothing, etc.)  I can find these easlily for
u.s. based cities but not for international ones.

For the housing cost, you can refer to www.hongkonghomes.com to get some idea .


source :http://www.proway.com.hk/useful/page_preview.php?wid=1&dir_id=81&page_id=1&parent_dir_id1=12&parent_dir_id2=81&parent_dir_id3=&t=1

Beer at Lan Kwai Fong's Pub $40
Macdonald¡¦s Value Meal (lunch) $25
Dinner for 2 at Italian Restaurant (excluding drinks) $400
Ice-cream cone $30
Coffee at Starbucks $20
Pizza Dinner at Pizza Hut $100
Head of Lettuce at grocery store $10
Salmon Filet at grocery store $60
10 slices of processed cheese $25
Salami $40 per 100 gram
Pack of cigarettes $32
1 Litre carton of milk $25
Mobile phone 1000 local mins service plan $100
DVD player $4000
Mobile Phone $3500
Movie Ticket $60
Sneakers $600
Concert Ticket $400
Dog Food $100
Board Game $100
Bottle of Parsley $40
Deodorant $30
Paperback Novel $70
Full tank of Gas $600
MTR ride from HK to Kowloon $14
Facial $200
Doctor¡¦s appointment (with medication) $350
Magazine $50
Commercial Laundry (1 pound) $30
Haircut $300
Dozen of roses (fresh cut) $150
Ocean Park Day Pass $185
Taxi Fare from Central to Kowloon Tong $120
Soccer Field Rental (2 hours) $350

That is in Hongkong dollars, of course, worth slightly less that 13 US cents.