Alameda, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Alameda, CA Summary

Cost of living in Alameda research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Alameda is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Alameda is 208, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Alameda is 2.1x higher than the national average.

  • Alameda ranks as the #544 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Alameda ranks as the #6,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Alameda is $1,112,370.

  • The median income in Alameda is $132,015.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
208
Alameda's Overall Cost Of Living
2.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Alameda, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Alameda has an overall cost of living index of 208, which is 2.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Alameda has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Alameda ranks as #544 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Alameda ranks as the #90 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Alameda, check out:

544 out of 634
In California
6,347 out of 6,489
In America

Alameda Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Alameda. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Alameda is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Alameda is 119.

  • The Health index in Alameda is 122.

  • The Housing index in Alameda is 412.

  • The Transportation index in Alameda is 127.

  • The Utilities index in Alameda is 136.

Living Expense Alameda California National Average
Overall 208 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 119 112 100
Health 122 110 100
Housing 412 195 100
Transportation 127 125 100
Utilities 136 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Alameda Cost of Living Vs. CA

Alameda, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Alameda is $1,112,370.

  • The Median Rent in Alameda is $2,394.

  • The Median Income in Alameda is $132,015.

  • The Home Value To Income in Alameda is 8.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Alameda is 0.22x.

Statistic Alameda California United States
Median Home Value $1,112,370 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,394 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $132,015 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.4x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,112,370
Median Home Value
$2,394
Median Rent
$132,015
Median Income

Alameda, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Alameda Services Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $16.46 $12.13
Bowling $27.22 $18
Haircut $25.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.0 $45.56

Detailed Alameda Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Ground Beef $5.7 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.43 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Alameda Health Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed Alameda Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed Alameda Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Alameda SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
5
Amenities
10
Education
8.5
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Alameda

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Alameda. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Oakland, CA has a cost of living index of 183, 0.9x Alameda.

  • Berkeley, CA has a cost of living index of 223, 1.1x Alameda.

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 1.2x Alameda.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Alameda
Oakland, CA 438,072 183 0.9x
Berkeley, CA 120,223 223 1.1x
San Mateo, CA 103,555 248 1.2x
San Leandro, CA 88,531 173 0.8x
San Ramon, CA 85,734 222 1.1x
South San Francisco, CA 64,487 213 1.0x
San Bruno, CA 42,612 220 1.1x
San Carlos, CA 29,797 311 1.5x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.8x
Belmont, CA 27,505 294 1.4x

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