Cost of living in Sunnyvale: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Sunnyvale is 10.4% higher than the US average. In 2024, BEA RPP data placed the metro area for San Jose, CA at 110.4, with the US at 100 and housing alone at 211.9.
- Level of prices
- 110.4US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- For rents, 211.9, compared with US = 100.
Cost of living index for Sunnyvale
A regional price parity uses one basket of goods and services to compare prices in a place against the US average of 100. Sunnyvale sits in the metro area (San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA), and BEA prices that whole area together. Housing (rents) differs most from the US average, reaching 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% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Its 2024 regional price parities cover metro areas and states. Regional BEA price parities
Sunnyvale rental costs
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent in Sunnyvale at $3,972 a month for homes listed now. It changed by +10.3% from a year earlier. The figure for the US is $1,932. Census median gross rent includes every renting household, not just new leases, and equals $2,889. Asking rent for one year accounts for 26% of median household income.
| Rent | Sunnyvale | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $3,972 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +10.3% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $2,889 | $1,487 |
| What a year of asking rent takes out of median income | 26% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 figures are one-year estimates.
Prices of homes in Sunnyvale
The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) valued a typical Sunnyvale home at $2,007,452 in September 2026. This represents the value of a home in the middle of the market. The US figure was $366,157, while the Sunnyvale value rose +1.0% from a year earlier. A home costs 11.1 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 years in the US.
| Home prices | Sunnyvale | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $2,007,452 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +1.0% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +77.3% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 11.1 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 42.1 | 15.8 |
A price chart since 2000, a forecast and days on the market: Sunnyvale housing market.
The salary needed for living in Sunnyvale
To keep your current purchasing power, two things shape the salary in Sunnyvale: your home location and current earnings.
- Moving away from
- Salary
The method alongside every city, compared side by side: city cost of living comparisons.
Moving to Sunnyvale? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
Cost of living in Sunnyvale compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Usual rent | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale | 110.4 | 211.9 | $3,972 | $2,007,452 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
| San Jose | 110.4 | 211.9 | $3,582 | $1,353,869 |
| 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 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, with US = 100. Rent data comes from Zillow ZORI. Home values come from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
How every city ranks: cost of living by city. State-by-state information: Cost of living by state.