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 | Chico | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,360/mo | $2,526/mo | 46.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $427,600 | $1,149,600 | 62.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $65,932 | $136,010 | 51.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.5 | 114.4 | 9.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 124.1 | 141.7 | 12.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 103.3 | 125.8 | 17.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.2 | 132.6 | 22.9% 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 Chico, you'd need $147,148 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chico, CA is about 32% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 46% lower in Chico than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Chico, you'd need about $117,718 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.