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 | Pontiac | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $947/mo | $2,526/mo | 62.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $100,100 | $1,149,600 | 91.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $40,307 | $136,010 | 70.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.1 | 104.8 | 6.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.4 | 147.2 | 30.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.9 | 101.6 | 0.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.5 | 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 Pontiac, you'd need $158,454 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Pontiac, MI is about 36.9% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 57% lower in Pontiac than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Pontiac, you'd need about $126,763 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.