Berkeley, CA vs Fremont, CA

Berkeley is moderately more affordable than Fremont, with a 7.9% lower cost of living index. Berkeley scores 216 compared to 235 for Fremont, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Fremont can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Berkeley is $2,127/month compared to $2,905/month in Fremont — a 27% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Berkeley has cheaper rent, Fremont actually has lower median home values ($1,289,400 vs $1,351,100).

Median household income in Berkeley is $108,558 compared to $176,350 in Fremont (-38.4%). While Fremont is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Berkeley spend roughly 23.5% of their income on rent, more than the 19.8% in Fremont.