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 | El Monte | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,605/mo | $2,526/mo | 36.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $597,200 | $1,149,600 | 48.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,929 | $136,010 | 55.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 105.8 | 114.4 | 7.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 127.8 | 141.7 | 9.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 108.0 | 125.8 | 14.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 108.6 | 132.6 | 18.1% 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 El Monte, you'd need $133,890 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
El Monte, CA is about 25.3% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 36% lower in El Monte than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in El Monte, you'd need about $107,112 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.