Overall
- Modesto
- 104.1
- Stockton-Lodi
- 105.1
Diff +1.0 RPP
Modesto vs Stockton-Lodi
Cost of living comparison based on BEA Regional Price Parities. Stockton-Lodi is 0.9% more expensive than Modesto.
0.9% more expensive
Stockton-Lodi, CA is 0.9% more expensive than Modesto, CA on BEA Regional Price Parities (overall RPP 105.1 vs 104.1). A $100,000 salary in Modesto buys about the same as $100,942 in Stockton-Lodi; the largest component gap is rents.
- Overall RPP 104.1 (Modesto) vs 105.1 (Stockton-Lodi)
- $100k in Modesto ≈ $100,942 purchasing power in Stockton-Lodi
- Rents drives the gap (+7.1 RPP points)
RPP parity plate
Pair CA:CA 104.1→105.1
PHOTO-FINISH · SAME-STATE · SPLIT-BUDGET · BOTH-ABOVE · PP-PAR
- PHOTO-FINISH Photo finish
- SAME-STATE Same state · CA
- SPLIT-BUDGET Split budget
- BOTH-ABOVE Both above 100
- PP-PAR PP near-par
Instrument codes from this pair's BEA Regional Price Parities (overall · goods · services · rents · national benchmark 100 · purchasing-power conversion), not a ranking or recommendation.
Modesto
104.1
Cost Index
Stockton-Lodi
105.1
Cost Index
What This Comparison Actually Tells You
Modesto, CA and Stockton-Lodi, CA are a photo finish on overall price level, only 1.0 RPP points apart. A salary conversion is therefore a fine adjustment, not evidence of a fundamentally different cost regime.
Rents creates the largest separation: Stockton-Lodi is 7.1 points higher. But goods move against the overall direction, so this is a split budget rather than a clean across-the-board winner.
Comparable population context is incomplete for this pair, so no market-scale explanation is inferred from the price indexes.
Both metros exceed the U.S. benchmark of 100. The choice is between two national premiums, so local wages need to clear the higher baseline in either market.
For a housing-sensitive move, validate the rent gap first: HUD Fair Market Rent and the actual unit size can overturn what the blended index implies. On the BEA ratio alone, $100,000 in Modesto corresponds to $100,942 in Stockton-Lodi.
Category Breakdown
Goods
- Modesto
- 105.2
- Stockton-Lodi
- 105.2
Diff 0.0 RPP
Services
- Modesto
- 152.3
- Stockton-Lodi
- 158.2
Diff +6.0 RPP
Rents
- Modesto
- 108.5
- Stockton-Lodi
- 115.6
Diff +7.1 RPP
| Category | Modesto | Stockton-Lodi | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 104.1 | 105.1 | +1.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 | 0.0 |
| Services | 152.3 | 158.2 | +6.0 |
| Rents | 108.5 | 115.6 | +7.1 |
Visual Comparison
Overall
Modesto 104.1
Stockton-Lodi 105.1
Goods
Modesto 105.2
Stockton-Lodi 105.2
Services
Modesto 152.3
Stockton-Lodi 158.2
Rents
Modesto 108.5
Stockton-Lodi 115.6
Vertical line = national average (100)
Salary Equivalents
What a salary in Modesto would need to be in Stockton-Lodi for the same purchasing power:
| In Modesto | In Stockton-Lodi | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $50,471 | +$471 |
| $75,000 | $75,707 | +$707 |
| $100,000 | $100,942 | +$942 |
| $150,000 | $151,413 | +$1,413 |
$ in Modesto = in Stockton-Lodi
Same BEA Regional Price Parity ratio as the table above (104.1 → 105.1), computed live from your number, nothing is sent anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stockton-Lodi more expensive than Modesto?
Stockton-Lodi is 0.9% more expensive than Modesto. The overall cost index is 105.1 vs 104.1 (national average = 100).
What salary in Stockton-Lodi equals $100K in Modesto?
A $100,000 salary in Modesto has the same purchasing power as $100,942 in Stockton-Lodi. This is based on the BEA Regional Price Parity indexes.
How do rents compare between Modesto and Stockton-Lodi?
Rents in Modesto are indexed at 108.5 while Stockton-Lodi is at 115.6 (national average = 100). Stockton-Lodi has higher rents.
Data sources
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP), the cost-of-living indices shown on this page
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), gross-rent observations behind the rents component
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI), goods and services price relatives
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), labor-driven services component
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR), 40th-percentile rent cross-reference
Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, our changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-11. Rankings measure the published cost-of-living index only; we don't recommend where to live or rate any metro's quality of life.