Cost of living in San Jose: rent, homes and salary
For the metro area of San Jose, CA, the BEA regional price parity (RPP) for 2024 is 110.4, against 100 for the US, and housing alone is 211.9; the cost of living in San Jose runs above the US average by 10.4%.
- Level of prices
- 110.4US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- Rents sit at 211.9, US = 100.
Cost of living index for San Jose
A regional price parity compares what one identical set of goods and services costs in a given place with the US average. That average is set at 100. San Jose belongs to the metro area of San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, and BEA prices the whole area as one. Housing (rents) differs most from the US average, standing at 211.9, or 111.9% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | San Jose, CA metro | California | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 110.4 | 110.7 | +10.4% |
| Goods | 105.2 | 106.1 | +5.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 211.9 | 154.3 | +111.9% |
| Utilities | 156.7 | 158.9 | +56.7% |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.6 | +0.3% |
The 2024 regional price parities, listed by metro area and by state, are published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the U.S. (BEA). BEA regional price parities
San Jose rent
Asking rent in San Jose typically runs $3,582 a month, according to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which covers rent on homes listed right now, +7.5% on a year. In the US, that figure is $1,932. By Census, median gross rent counts every renting household, not only new leases, and stands at $2,674. One year of the asking rent equals 29% of the median household income.
| Rent | San Jose | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $3,582 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +7.5% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $2,674 | $1,487 |
| Asking rent for a year, share of median income | 29% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index; Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, based on one-year estimates.
San Jose home prices
According to Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), a typical home in San Jose was valued at $1,353,869 in September 2026. That index measures what a home in the middle of the market is worth. Year over year, that works out to −0.5%, while the US figure is $366,157. That equals 9.1 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | San Jose | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $1,353,869 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −0.5% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +87.5% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 9.1 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 31.5 | 15.8 |
A chart of prices since 2000, a forecast and days on market: housing market in San Jose.
The salary you need to live in San Jose
Two questions set the salary in San Jose that matches what your current pay buys: where you live, and how much you earn.
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- Salary
The method, with every city lined up side by side: city-by-city cost of living.
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San Jose cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | 110.4 | 211.9 | $3,582 | $1,353,869 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
| San Francisco | 115.6 | 194.7 | $4,784 | $1,441,021 |
| Fresno | 102.2 | 95.7 | $1,945 | $384,885 |
| Sacramento | 106.7 | 130.2 | $2,045 | $470,552 |
| Long Beach | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,412 | $852,391 |
| Oakland | 115.6 | 194.7 | $2,758 | $710,647 |
| Bakersfield | 100.9 | 90.3 | $1,901 | $385,686 |
For price levels, BEA regional price parities 2024, with US = 100. Rent source: Zillow ZORI. For home value, the source is Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living comparison by city. Each state: cost of living by state.