Cost of Living: San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA versus $3,974/mo in San Jose, CA. In the model, rent is about 35.25% of gross in San Francisco, CA versus 38.13% in San Jose, CA, so San Francisco, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between San Francisco, CA and San Jose, 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 Francisco, CA: 225.8 (U.S. = 100) · San Jose, CA: 198.5 (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 Francisco, CA: $2,298/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Jose, CA: $2,486/mo
Median rent in San Jose, CA is $188/mo higher than in San Francisco, CA.
Median Home Price
San Francisco, CA: $1,380,500 · San Jose, CA: $1,187,800
Median home price in San Francisco, CA is $192,700 higher than in San Jose, CA.
Median Household Income
San Francisco, CA: $141,446 · San Jose, CA: $141,565
San Jose, CA has a higher median household income than San Francisco, CA by $119.
San Francisco, CA overview · San Jose, CA overview · Popular comparisons