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 | San Jose | Schenectady | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,526/mo | $1,038/mo | 143.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $1,149,600 | $140,000 | 721.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,010 | $54,650 | 148.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.8 | 100.1 | 4.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 147.2 | 123.6 | 19.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 97.2 | 4.5% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 99.8 | 1.6% 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 San Jose, you'd need $66,091 in Schenectady to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Schenectady, NY is about 33.9% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 54% lower in Schenectady than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in San Jose, you'd need about $52,873 in Schenectady to keep the same standard of living.