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 | Hilo | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,228/mo | $2,526/mo | 51.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $417,600 | $1,149,600 | 63.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $75,589 | $136,010 | 44.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.8 | 0.7% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 147.2 | 15.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 101.6 | 3.0% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 101.4 | 2.7% higher 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 Hilo, you'd need $156,180 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Hilo, HI is about 36% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 53% lower in Hilo than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Hilo, you'd need about $124,944 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.