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 | Asheville | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $2,526/mo | 50.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $376,800 | $1,149,600 | 67.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $63,810 | $136,010 | 53.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.7 | 114.4 | 12.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 98.0 | 141.7 | 30.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 85.7 | 125.8 | 31.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 100.9 | 132.6 | 23.9% 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 Asheville, you'd need $163,115 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Asheville, NC is about 38.7% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 51% lower in Asheville than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Asheville, you'd need about $130,492 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.