City comparison
Cupertino, CA is about 20 miles (30 km) from Union City, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 25 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 Union City, CA takes about 2 min, covering roughly 20 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.
Union City has a population of 69,502, vs 59,763 in Cupertino — about 1.2× larger by population. By land area, Union City covers about 19 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 | Union City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,501/mo | $2,593/mo | 35.0% higher in Cupertino |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $1,006,600 | 98.7% higher in Cupertino |
| Median household income | $223,667 | $138,013 | 62.1% higher in Cupertino |
| Groceries index | 105.1 | 108.1 | 2.9% higher in Union City |
| Utilities index | 153.8 | 168.3 | 9.4% higher in Union City |
| Transportation index | 100.7 | 106.1 | 5.4% higher in Union City |
| Healthcare index | 100.6 | 106.0 | 5.4% higher in Union City |
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 $96,268 in Union City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Union City, CA is about 3.7% cheaper overall than Cupertino, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 11% higher in Cupertino than in Union City. If you earn $80,000 in Cupertino, you'd need about $77,014 in Union City to keep the same standard of living.