2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
San Jose, CA vs Mesa, AZ

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Mesa or is it cheaper to live in San Jose?
- Mesa is 51.1% less expensive than San Jose.

Which city has more affordable housing, Mesa or San Jose?
- Mesa housing costs are 71.7% less expensive than San Jose housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in San Jose or is Health Care more affordable in Mesa.
- Health related expenses are 14.1% less in Mesa.
 San Jose, CAMesa, AZUnited States
 Overall  Unlock113.0100
 Food & Groceries113.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock92.5100
 Housing428.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$425,900$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock114.0100
 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 Mesa    61 Reviews

Mesa is a really good city despite some trouble with Superstition Springs and the failure that is Fiesta Mall, there is nice areas throughout and some areas that need to  More

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Over 2 years ago

As someone who was born in Mesa and has lived here in the 85210 in Dobson Ranch for the last 13 years after moving out from Chandler. I can tell you that most of the  More

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I’m a native to Arizona and growing up here has taught me that people just don’t care, and the Mormon community is huge! It’s normal in the state of AZ for kids to start  More

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