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 | Tempe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,526/mo | $1,472/mo | 71.6% higher in A |
| Median home value | $1,149,600 | $382,100 | 200.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,010 | $72,022 | 88.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 114.4 | 104.5 | 9.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 141.7 | 125.8 | 12.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 125.8 | 105.4 | 19.3% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 132.6 | 105.1 | 26.1% 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 $71,034 in Tempe to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Tempe, AZ is about 29% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 42% lower in Tempe than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in San Jose, you'd need about $56,827 in Tempe to keep the same standard of living.