Cost of Living in San Jose, CA (2026)

San Jose's cost of living is 10% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $90,561 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

San Jose has a cost-of-living index of 110 against a US average of 100 — about 10% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $90,561 at the national average.

What it costs to live in San Jose

MeasureSan JoseUS average
Cost-of-living index110100
Median rent$2,617/mo-
Median home value$1,187,800-
Median household income$141,565-
Population990,054-

Monthly cost breakdown in San Jose

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$2,617$6,898
Transport$2,136$2,136
Food$1,680$1,680
Healthcare$1,055$1,055
Other$3,752$3,752
Total$11,241$15,522

Affordability in San Jose

Median rent takes about 22.2% of the median household income in San Jose — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 8.4x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in San Jose

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$217,300$196,789
Software Developer$199,100$180,307
Registered Nurse$179,210$162,294
Data Scientist$171,800$155,584
Web Developer$157,390$142,534
Mechanical Engineer$153,520$139,029
Police Officer$145,340$131,621
Physical Therapist$131,930$119,477

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for San Jose’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

San Jose has a cost-of-living index of 110 against a US average of 100, so it is about 10% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in San Jose has roughly the purchasing power of $90,561 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At San Jose's median rent of $2,617/month that implies about $104,680 a year before tax. The median household in San Jose earns $141,565.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $11,241 a month in San Jose across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $15,522 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in San Jose costs $1,187,800, which is 8.4x the median household income of $141,565. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so San Jose is expensive relative to local incomes.