Median rent is 19% lower in Anaheim ($2,175/mo vs $2,669/mo). Buying is cheaper in Anaheim, where the median home runs $831,200 versus $1,233,200. Households earn more in San Jose ($146,427 vs $95,227 a year).
City A
Anaheim, CA
City B
San Jose, CA
How much would you need to earn in San Jose, CA to maintain your standard of living from Anaheim, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Anaheim
California
San Jose
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Anaheim at $2,175/mo compared to $2,669/mo in San Jose (19% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in San Jose: the median home is $1,233,200 versus $831,200 in Anaheim — 33% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Anaheim
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
San Jose
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Anaheim has cleaner air on average: 35.0 AQI (Good) compared to 65.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick San Jose if you prioritize higher median household income ($146,427/yr).
Pick Anaheim if you prioritize cheaper rent ($2,175/mo median).
Pick Anaheim if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 35.0).
Is Anaheim cheaper than San Jose?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Anaheim vs San Jose?
Median rent is $2,175/mo in Anaheim, CA and $2,669/mo in San Jose, CA. Anaheim, CA has the lower rent by about 19%.
Which has higher salaries — Anaheim or San Jose?
Median household income is $95,227 in Anaheim, CA and $146,427 in San Jose, CA. San Jose, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Anaheim, CA has better air quality on average: 35.0 AQI versus 65.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Anaheim or San Jose?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in San Jose to match my Anaheim income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
