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 | Bismarck | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $969/mo | $2,526/mo | 61.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $283,800 | $1,149,600 | 75.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $76,014 | $136,010 | 44.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 95.9 | 104.8 | 8.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 80.0 | 147.2 | 45.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 92.9 | 101.6 | 8.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 101.4 | 7.8% 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 Bismarck, you'd need $172,711 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bismarck, ND is about 42.1% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 61% lower in Bismarck than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Bismarck, you'd need about $138,169 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.