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 | Bethlehem | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,218/mo | $2,526/mo | 51.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $220,300 | $1,149,600 | 80.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $62,072 | $136,010 | 54.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.7 | 104.8 | 4.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 105.1 | 147.2 | 28.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 97.2 | 101.6 | 4.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 101.4 | 1.6% 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 Bethlehem, you'd need $149,644 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bethlehem, PA is about 33.2% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 51% lower in Bethlehem than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Bethlehem, you'd need about $119,715 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.