2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Rochester, NY vs San Rafael, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in San Rafael or is it cheaper to live in Rochester?
- San Rafael is 159.7% more expensive than Rochester.

Which city has more affordable housing, San Rafael or Rochester?
- San Rafael housing costs are 894.0% more expensive than Rochester housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Rochester or is Health Care more affordable in San Rafael.
- Health related expenses are 2.6% more in San Rafael.
 Rochester, NYSan Rafael, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock230.1100
 Food & Groceries97.8  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock110.1100
 Housing44.8  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,209,300$338,100
 Utilities103  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock118.7100
 Miscellaneous148.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Rochester    79 Reviews

Stay out of the rougher patches, and you'll find a pretty solid city. I live within close proximity to it, and the crime from it DOES rub off on us (auto theft), but  More

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Rochester isn't perfect (I'll detail pros and cons), but it's certainly perfect for me and my husband. We've lived here for 4 years and are getting ready to purchase our  More

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Rochester is a scenic city with so much to offer in terms of things to do and having 4 seasons, except the summer is more like a long spring!! It's a relatively unknown  More

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Reviews for San Rafael    7 Reviews

Over 13 years ago

San Rafael is only 30 minutes from downtown San Francisco, but the weather is completely different. It's sunny most of the year, including in the summer when the city  More

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Over 15 years ago

I feal very safe in this town. I think getting stopped for talking on your cell phone while driving is a big deal here. Thats about all I can  More

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Over 17 years ago

Cost of living too high. Unfriendly  More

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