Cost of Living in California

The cost of living in California is 44% higher than the national average
Cost of Living in California Compared to National Average
Housing (Buy and Rent) 118% higher
Utilities (Monthly) 32% higher
Food 10% higher
Healthcare 17% higher
Transportation 36% higher
Goods & Services 2% higher
Summary

The cost of living in California is 44% higher than the national average. Housing is 118% higher than the national average, while utilities are 32% higher. When it comes to basic necessities such as food and clothing, groceries are around 10% higher than in the rest of the country, while clothing costs 2% higher.

Healthcare services such as doctor check-ups and dentistry cost 17% higher in California compared to the national average. At the same time, non-necessary expenses such as entertainment and grooming services are 2% higher.

The Cost of Living in California Largest Cities Compared to the National Average

This is how much pricier or cheaper it is to live in California’s 12 largest cities compared to the national average.
The cost of living in California varies depending on the city you live in. The priciest city in California is Sunnyvale, where the cost of living is 59% higher compared to the state average and 129% higher than in the rest of the U.S. The cheapest major city in California is Fresno, with a cost of living 27% lower below the state average and 5% higher than the national average.
City, State Compared to State Average Compared to National Average
Sunnyvale, CA 59% higher 129% higher
San Jose, CA 28% higher 84% higher
Anaheim, CA 14% higher 64% higher
San Francisco, CA 14% higher 64% higher
Truckee, CA 9% higher 57% higher
Los Angeles, CA 6% higher 52% higher
San Diego, CA 2% higher 47% higher
Oakland, CA 8% lower 32% higher
Tracy, CA 13% lower 24% higher
Sacramento, CA 14% lower 24% higher
Palm Springs, CA 15% lower 23% higher
Stockton, CA 15% lower 23% higher
Redding, CA 23% lower 11% higher
Bakersfield, CA 24% lower 10% higher
Modesto, CA 25% lower 8% higher
Fresno, CA 27% lower 5% higher
What is a cost of living calculator?

The cost of living calculator tells you how much money you need to maintain your current standard of living in a different city. The cost of living comparison is based on your income and the price of basic necessities such as housing, transportation or food in the two cities you selected. Use the calculator to find out what income you will need in a new city and how much more or less you’ll need to budget for basic expenses.

Where does the data come from?

Consumer goods, services and home prices are sourced from The Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
The data on this page is updated bi-annually and it was last published in March 2026.

Average rent data is our in-house proprietary data from Yardi Matrix, where available. For the remaining locations, C2ER rent data was used. Yardi Matrix is a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self-storage sectors, a division of Yardi Systems, Inc.

Household income data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates.

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