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 | Anchorage | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,405/mo | $2,526/mo | 44.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $363,800 | $1,149,600 | 68.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $95,731 | $136,010 | 29.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.9 | 114.4 | 9.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 124.8 | 141.7 | 12.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 104.1 | 125.8 | 17.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 103.4 | 132.6 | 22.0% 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 Anchorage, you'd need $144,521 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Anchorage, AK is about 30.8% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 44% lower in Anchorage than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Anchorage, you'd need about $115,617 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.