Median rent is 24% lower in Seattle ($2,030/mo vs $2,669/mo). Buying is cheaper in Seattle, where the median home runs $938,600 versus $1,233,200. Households earn more in San Jose ($146,427 vs $123,860 a year).
City A
San Jose, CA
City B
Seattle, WA
How much would you need to earn in Seattle, WA to maintain your standard of living from San Jose, 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
San Jose
California
Seattle
Washington
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
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Seattle — median rent of $2,030/mo versus $2,669/mo in San Jose, a 24% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in San Jose: the median home is $1,233,200 versus $938,600 in Seattle — 24% 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.
San Jose
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Seattle
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Seattle has cleaner air on average: 52.0 AQI (Moderate) 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 Seattle if you prioritize cheaper rent ($2,030/mo median).
Pick Seattle if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 52.0).
Is San Jose cheaper than Seattle?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in San Jose vs Seattle?
Median rent is $2,669/mo in San Jose, CA and $2,030/mo in Seattle, WA. Seattle, WA has the lower rent by about 24%.
Which has higher salaries — San Jose or Seattle?
Median household income is $146,427 in San Jose, CA and $123,860 in Seattle, WA. 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?
Seattle, WA has better air quality on average: 52.0 AQI versus 65.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — San Jose or Seattle?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Seattle to match my San Jose 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
