Cost of Living: San Jose, CA vs San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA. In the model, rent is about 38.13% of gross in San Jose, CA versus 35.25% in San Francisco, CA, so San Francisco, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between San Jose, CA and San Francisco, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): San Jose, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): San Francisco, CA
- Lower home prices: San Jose, CA
- Higher median household income: San Jose, CA
Cost of Living Index
San Jose, CA: 198.5 (U.S. = 100) · San Francisco, CA: 225.8 (U.S. = 100)
San Jose, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Francisco, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
San Jose, CA: $2,486/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Francisco, CA: $2,298/mo
Median rent in San Jose, CA is $188/mo higher than in San Francisco, CA.
Median Home Price
San Jose, CA: $1,187,800 · San Francisco, CA: $1,380,500
Median home price in San Francisco, CA is $192,700 higher than in San Jose, CA.
Median Household Income
San Jose, CA: $141,565 · San Francisco, CA: $141,446
San Jose, CA has a higher median household income than San Francisco, CA by $119.
San Jose, CA overview · San Francisco, CA overview · Popular comparisons