2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
San Jose, CA vs El Cajon, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in El Cajon or is it cheaper to live in San Jose?
- El Cajon is 32.9% less expensive than San Jose.

Which city has more affordable housing, El Cajon or San Jose?
- El Cajon housing costs are 45.3% less expensive than San Jose housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in San Jose or is Health Care more affordable in El Cajon.
- Health related expenses are 17.4% less in El Cajon.
 San Jose, CAEl Cajon, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.9100
 Food & Groceries113.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock89.0100
 Housing428.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$727,300$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock124.8100
 Miscellaneous155.8  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for San Jose    90 Reviews

I've lived in west San Jose/Cambrian, between Los Gatos and Almaden SJ since 1997. This side of town somehow avoided the erosion of the American dream. Houses are  More

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I lived in San Jose for 40 years. That’s during the most exciting time when the Silicon Valley was booming with real technology and San Jose was ranked as the safest big  More

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Over 4 years ago

I've lived in San Jose, CA for 25 years. This city is being over run with crime and gangs. The cost of living is very high. Granted, you are so close to mountains,  More

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Reviews for El Cajon    10 Reviews

Stay out of East El Cajon. The people that live there don't like  More

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Housing less expensive then San Diego, wages the same. A total package of people from different backgrounds (ethnic) which is  More

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El Cajon and La Mesa are about a dozen miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Fletcher Hills, in particular, is a community within El Cajon on the boarder of La Mesa/Mt.  More

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