Head to head
Oakland, CA vs San Jose, CA
Oakland is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $202/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $5,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For a household of four, San Jose is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and that spread is far steeper in some markets than others.
| Metric | Oakland36 | San Jose57 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $6,352 | $6,554 |
| Est. monthly cost (household of 4) | $12,207 | $11,977 |
| Salary for comfort | $130,000/yr | $135,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,912 | $3,483 |
| Median home value | $924,700 | $1,187,800 |
| Median household income | $97,369 | $141,565 |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| Housing score | 8 | 19 |
| Jobs score | 39 | 71 |
| Safety score | 0 | 65 |
| Climate score | 100 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 71 | 83 |
| Population | 438.1K | 990.1K |
| Summer high / winter low | 72° / 44° | 82° / 42° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Oakland, CA
San Jose, CA