2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
San Jose, CA vs Fort Dodge, IA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Fort Dodge or is it cheaper to live in San Jose?
- Fort Dodge is 69.0% less expensive than San Jose.

Which city has more affordable housing, Fort Dodge or San Jose?
- Fort Dodge housing costs are 92.9% less expensive than San Jose housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in San Jose or is Health Care more affordable in Fort Dodge.
- Health related expenses are 14.9% more in Fort Dodge.
 San Jose, CAFort Dodge, IAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock71.6100
 Food & Groceries113.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock123.8100
 Housing428.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$113,300$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock58.8100
 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 Fort Dodge    4 Reviews

Corrupt politicians always scheming to funnel public money to wealthy private interests, creating a welfare dependent economy that will be imploding sooner than later,  More

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Over 10 years ago

Before moving to the Fort Dodge area please consider other options. The city is a decaying town, streets have definitely seen better days and are filthy. There are not  More

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Over 15 years ago

I see that everyone is rather hard on Fort Dodge. I grew up and lived there until I married and (like a failed pioneer) moved east to Gettysburg, Pa. It was the best  More

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