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 | West Des Moines | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,526/mo | $1,153/mo | 119.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $1,149,600 | $266,700 | 331.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,010 | $82,345 | 65.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.8 | 94.5 | 10.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 147.2 | 86.7 | 69.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 94.1 | 7.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 94.8 | 7.0% 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 $59,765 in West Des Moines to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
West Des Moines, IA is about 40.2% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 58% lower in West Des Moines than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in San Jose, you'd need about $47,812 in West Des Moines to keep the same standard of living.