Question 1

Is Detroit or Oakland cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $2,303/month less than in Oakland, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $2,912/mo in Oakland.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Oakland?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $130,000/year in Oakland, CA — a difference of about $52,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Oakland cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit and $12,207/month in Oakland, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or Oakland?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Detroit costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Detroit59	Oakland36
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$6,352
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$12,207
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$130,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$2,912
Median home value	$76,800	$924,700
Median household income	$39,575	$97,369
Unemployment	10.7%	4.1%
Housing score	62	8
Jobs score	37	39
Safety score	18	0
Climate score	87	100
Amenities score	82	71
Population	636.6K	438.1K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	72° / 44°

Detroit, MI vs Oakland, CA