Cupertino, CA vs Sunnyvale, CA

Sunnyvale is moderately more affordable than Cupertino, with a 10% lower cost of living index. Cupertino scores 310 compared to 281 for Sunnyvale, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Cupertino can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Cupertino is $3,501/month compared to $3,065/month in Sunnyvale — a 14% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Sunnyvale is more affordable at $1,816,600 median vs $2,000,001.

Median household income in Cupertino is $231,139 compared to $181,862 in Sunnyvale (+27.1%). While Cupertino is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Cupertino spend roughly 18.2% of their income on rent, less than the 20.2% in Sunnyvale.