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 | Topeka | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,526/mo | $926/mo | 172.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $1,149,600 | $124,700 | 821.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,010 | $54,052 | 151.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 96.3 | 8.0% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 91.7 | 36.4% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 96.9 | 8.0% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 99.1 | 5.1% 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 $36,660 in Topeka to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Topeka, KS is about 63.3% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 63% lower in Topeka than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in San Jose, you'd need about $29,328 in Topeka to keep the same standard of living.