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 | Columbus | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,081/mo | $2,526/mo | 57.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $211,700 | $1,149,600 | 81.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $75,114 | $136,010 | 44.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.9 | 104.8 | 9.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.1 | 147.2 | 40.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.5 | 101.6 | 3.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 101.4 | 2.3% 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 Columbus, you'd need $170,877 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbus, IN is about 41.5% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 62% lower in Columbus than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Columbus, you'd need about $136,701 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.