Cost of Living: Oakland, CA vs San Jose, 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 San Jose, CA. In the model, rent is about 27.93% of gross in Oakland, CA versus 38.13% in San Jose, CA, so Oakland, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Oakland, CA and San Jose, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Oakland, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Oakland, CA
- Lower home prices: Oakland, CA
- Higher median household income: San Jose, CA
Cost of Living Index
Oakland, CA: 165.2 (U.S. = 100) · San Jose, CA: 198.5 (U.S. = 100)
Oakland, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Jose, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Oakland, CA: $1,821/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Jose, CA: $2,486/mo
Median rent in San Jose, CA is $665/mo higher than in Oakland, CA.
Median Home Price
Oakland, CA: $924,700 · San Jose, CA: $1,187,800
Median home price in San Jose, CA is $263,100 higher than in Oakland, CA.
Median Household Income
Oakland, CA: $97,369 · San Jose, CA: $141,565
San Jose, CA has a higher median household income than Oakland, CA by $44,196.
Oakland, CA overview · San Jose, CA overview · Popular comparisons