City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Allentown | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $2,526/mo | 52.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $1,149,600 | 85.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $136,010 | 61.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 93.7 | 114.4 | 18.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 89.9 | 141.7 | 36.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 82.5 | 125.8 | 34.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 85.5 | 132.6 | 35.5% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Allentown, you'd need $173,512 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Allentown, PA is about 42.4% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 52% lower in Allentown than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $138,809 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.