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 | Richmond | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,227/mo | $2,526/mo | 51.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $308,300 | $1,149,600 | 73.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,606 | $136,010 | 56.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 100.4 | 114.4 | 12.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 97.7 | 141.7 | 31.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 85.2 | 125.8 | 32.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 100.2 | 132.6 | 24.4% 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 Richmond, you'd need $164,861 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Richmond, VA is about 39.3% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 51% lower in Richmond than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Richmond, you'd need about $131,889 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.