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 | Lake Havasu City | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,163/mo | $2,526/mo | 54.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $363,300 | $1,149,600 | 68.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $64,027 | $136,010 | 52.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.6 | 104.8 | 6.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 99.6 | 147.2 | 32.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 101.3 | 101.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.1 | 101.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lake Havasu City, you'd need $162,505 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lake Havasu City, AZ is about 38.5% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 60% lower in Lake Havasu City than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Lake Havasu City, you'd need about $130,004 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.