Cost of Living: San Jose, 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 San Jose, CA versus $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA. In the model, rent is about 38.13% of gross in San Jose, CA versus 19.29% in Fresno, CA, so Fresno, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between San Jose, 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: San Jose, CA
Cost of Living Index
San Jose, CA: 198.5 (U.S. = 100) · Fresno, CA: 108.5 (U.S. = 100)
Fresno, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Jose, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
San Jose, CA: $2,486/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo
Median rent in San Jose, CA is $1,228/mo higher than in Fresno, CA.
Median Home Price
San Jose, CA: $1,187,800 · Fresno, CA: $348,500
Median home price in San Jose, CA is $839,300 higher than in Fresno, CA.
Median Household Income
San Jose, CA: $141,565 · Fresno, CA: $66,804
San Jose, CA has a higher median household income than Fresno, CA by $74,761.
San Jose, CA overview · Fresno, CA overview · Popular comparisons