Residential comparison · 13 facts
Los Angeles, CA vs San Jose, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Los Angeles needs about $95,500 in San Jose to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Jose, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $75,000 in Los Angeles.
A few differences
- San Jose is lower on sales tax (9.38% vs 9.5%).
- Los Angeles is lower on groceries index (110 vs 114).
- San Jose is higher on median household income ($133,000 vs $80,000).
Los Angeles vs San Jose · facet by facet
| Facet | Los Angeles, CA | San Jose, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $950,000 | $1,450,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,100/mo | $3,550/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 9.5% | 9.38% |
| Cost of living index | 149 | 168 |
| Groceries index | 110 | 114 |
| Utilities | $205/mo | $230/mo |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $133,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 3.9% |
| Crime index | 48/100 | 36/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 284 days | 257 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Los Angeles, CA · San Jose, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Los Angeles cheaper than San Jose?
- Los Angeles has the lower day-to-day cost index (149 vs 168 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Jose equals $85,000 in Los Angeles?
- A household earning $85,000 in Los Angeles needs about $95,500 in San Jose to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Jose lifestyle costs about $75,000 in Los Angeles.