City comparison
Cupertino, CA is about 300 miles (500 km) from Pasadena, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 375 miles, or about 6 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Cupertino, CA to Pasadena, CA takes about 37 min, covering roughly 300 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Pasadena has a population of 137,554, vs 59,763 in Cupertino — about 2.3× larger by population. By land area, Pasadena covers about 23 sq mi vs 11 sq mi for Cupertino.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
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 | Cupertino | Pasadena | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,501/mo | $2,100/mo | 66.7% higher in Cupertino |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $981,600 | 103.7% higher in Cupertino |
| Median household income | $223,667 | $97,818 | 128.7% higher in Cupertino |
| Groceries index | 105.1 | 106.4 | 1.3% higher in Pasadena |
| Utilities index | 153.8 | 155.6 | 1.1% higher in Pasadena |
| Transportation index | 100.7 | 104.4 | 3.7% higher in Pasadena |
| Healthcare index | 100.6 | 104.3 | 3.7% higher in Pasadena |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Cupertino, you'd need $88,052 in Pasadena to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Pasadena, CA is about 11.9% cheaper overall than Cupertino, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 28% higher in Cupertino than in Pasadena. If you earn $80,000 in Cupertino, you'd need about $70,441 in Pasadena to keep the same standard of living.