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 | Salinas | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,795/mo | $2,526/mo | 28.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $573,600 | $1,149,600 | 50.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $84,250 | $136,010 | 38.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 107.5 | 114.4 | 6.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 130.7 | 141.7 | 7.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 111.7 | 125.8 | 11.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 113.5 | 132.6 | 14.4% 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 Salinas, you'd need $125,143 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Salinas, CA is about 20.1% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 29% lower in Salinas than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Salinas, you'd need about $100,115 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.