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 | Rochester | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $995/mo | $2,526/mo | 60.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $111,400 | $1,149,600 | 90.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $44,156 | $136,010 | 67.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.0 | 104.1 | 3.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 99.3 | 125.1 | 20.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 95.9 | 104.6 | 8.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.7 | 104.1 | 0.5% 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 Rochester, you'd need $253,868 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Rochester, NY is about 60.6% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 61% lower in Rochester than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Rochester, you'd need about $203,094 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.