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 | Berkeley | Sunnyvale | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,067/mo | $2,990/mo | 30.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $1,280,300 | $1,680,700 | 23.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $104,716 | $174,506 | 40.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Berkeley, you'd need $144,654 in Sunnyvale to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Berkeley, CA is about 30.9% cheaper overall than Sunnyvale, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 31% lower in Berkeley than in Sunnyvale. If you earn $80,000 in Berkeley, you'd need about $115,723 in Sunnyvale to keep the same standard of living.