Walnut Creek, CA vs Union City, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Union City, CA has a modeled overall cost index 5.6% higher than Walnut Creek, CA.

Walnut Creek, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,350 / month
Union City, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,230 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Walnut Creek, CA and Union City, CA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Walnut Creek, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $22.33/month in Union City, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,268 in Union City, CA

Regional cost estimates: Walnut Creek, CA uses Oakland, CA. Union City, CA uses Fremont, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 5.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$22.33

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$268

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Walnut Creek, CA

Population:69K

Cost Index:

158.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.07M

Union City, CA

Population:65K

Cost Index:

167.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.22M

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Walnut Creek, CA

The Golden State

69K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 69K residents.

Union City, CA

The Golden State

65K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 65K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Walnut Creek, CA vs Union City, CA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Walnut Creek, CA	Union City, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,684/mo	$4,158/mo	↑ $474more	12.9%
Transportation	$1,288/mo	$851/mo	↓ $437less	33.9%
Other	$1,119/mo	$1,103/mo	↓ $15.37less	1.4%
Groceries	$706/mo	$692/mo	↓ $13.66less	1.9%
All Utilities	$273/mo	$285/mo	↑ $11.87more	4.4%
Healthcare	$430/mo	$433/mo	↑ $2.87more	0.7%

Housing

↑ 12.9%

Walnut Creek, CA

$3,684

Union City, CA

$4,158

Difference

$474

Transportation

↓ 33.9%

Walnut Creek, CA

$1,288

Union City, CA

$851

Difference

$437

less

Other

↓ 1.4%

Walnut Creek, CA

$1,119

Union City, CA

$1,103

Difference

$15.37

less

Groceries

↓ 1.9%

Walnut Creek, CA

$706

Union City, CA

$692

Difference

$13.66

less

All Utilities

↑ 4.4%

Walnut Creek, CA

$273

Union City, CA

$285

Difference

$11.87

Healthcare

↑ 0.7%

Walnut Creek, CA

$430

Union City, CA

$433

Difference

$2.87

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,460

To$2,380

↓ $80.00

1 Bed

From$2,740

To$2,640

↓ $100

2 Bed

From$3,350

To$3,230

↓ $120

3 Bed

From$4,280

To$4,130

↓ $150

Walnut Creek, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,450–$3,180/mo

Union City, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,640–$2,640/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Walnut Creek, CA

$7,522

Monthly in Union City, CA

$22.33

Difference

Home Values

Walnut Creek

Union City

$1.07M

Median Value

$1.22M

↓ -2%

YoY Change

↓ -5.9%

↑ +18.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +28.7%

$678K - $1.34M

Price Range

$1.22M

Homes in Union City are 14% more expensive than Walnut Creek

Calculate payment - Walnut Creek Calculate payment - Union City

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Walnut Creek, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Union City, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Walnut Creek, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Union City, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Walnut Creek

Union City

49 Good

Air Quality

49 Good

53%

Good Air Days

53%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌅

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

Before moving from Walnut Creek, CA to Union City, CA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Union City, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Walnut Creek, CA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Walnut Creek to Union City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Union City, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Walnut Creek, CA vs Union City, CA

How do the cost estimates for Walnut Creek, CA and Union City, CA compare?

Union City, CA has a modeled overall cost index 5.6% higher than Walnut Creek, CA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Walnut Creek, CA, the model estimates $150,268 in Union City, CA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Walnut Creek, CA and Union City, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,350/month in Walnut Creek, CA and $3,230/month in Union City, CA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.