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 | Carmichael | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,480/mo | $2,526/mo | 41.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $495,400 | $1,149,600 | 56.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $80,138 | $136,010 | 41.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.6 | 114.4 | 8.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 125.9 | 141.7 | 11.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 105.6 | 125.8 | 16.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 105.3 | 132.6 | 20.6% 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 Carmichael, you'd need $140,338 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Carmichael, CA is about 28.7% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 41% lower in Carmichael than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Carmichael, you'd need about $112,270 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.