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 | Grand Rapids | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,138/mo | $2,526/mo | 54.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $203,900 | $1,149,600 | 82.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,634 | $136,010 | 54.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.7 | 114.4 | 11.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.0 | 141.7 | 37.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.0 | 125.8 | 27.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 91.1 | 132.6 | 31.3% 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 Grand Rapids, you'd need $170,702 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Grand Rapids, MI is about 41.4% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 55% lower in Grand Rapids than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Grand Rapids, you'd need about $136,562 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.