Cost of Living: Oakland, CA vs Fresno, CA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Oakland, CA versus $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA. In the model, rent is about 27.93% of gross in Oakland, CA versus 19.29% in Fresno, CA, so Fresno, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Oakland, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Fresno, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Oakland, CA
27.93%
COLI tier: very high-cost
Rent share (1BR) in Fresno, CA
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Oakland, CA and Fresno, CA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Fresno, CA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Fresno, CA
  • Lower home prices: Fresno, CA
  • Higher median household income: Oakland, CA

Cost of Living Index

Oakland, CA: 165.2 (U.S. = 100) · Fresno, CA: 108.5 (U.S. = 100)

Fresno, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than Oakland, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Oakland, CA: $1,821/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo

Median rent in Oakland, CA is $563/mo higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Home Price

Oakland, CA: $924,700 · Fresno, CA: $348,500

Median home price in Oakland, CA is $576,200 higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Household Income

Oakland, CA: $97,369 · Fresno, CA: $66,804

Oakland, CA has a higher median household income than Fresno, CA by $30,565.

Oakland, CA overview · Fresno, CA overview · Popular comparisons