Alameda, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 181, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Alameda is 1.8x higher than the national average.

  • Alameda ranks as the #534 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Alameda ranks as the #6,217 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Alameda is $972,800.

  • The median income in Alameda is $113,339.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
181
Alameda's Overall Cost Of Living
1.8x
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 181, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Alameda has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Alameda ranks as #534 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Alameda ranks as the #101 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Alameda, check out:

534 out of 635
In California
6,217 out of 6,412
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 118.

  • The Groceries index in Alameda is 134.

  • The Health index in Alameda is 123.

  • The Housing index in Alameda is 301.

  • The Transportation index in Alameda is 144.

  • The Utilities index in Alameda is 137.

Living Expense Alameda California National Average
Overall 181 139 100
Services 118 110 100
Groceries 134 112 100
Health 123 109 100
Housing 301 204 100
Transportation 144 126 100
Utilities 137 124 100
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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Alameda is $972,800.

  • The Median Rent in Alameda is $2,106.

  • The Median Income in Alameda is $113,339.

  • The Home Value To Income in Alameda is 8.6x.

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

Statistic Alameda California United States
Median Home Value $972,800 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,106 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $113,339 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 8.6x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Alameda, CA
$972,800
Median Home Value
$2,106
Median Rent
$113,339
Median Income

Alameda, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Alameda Services Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Shampoo $1.39 $1.06
Movie $13.23 $10.68
Bowling $19.56 $14.67
Haircut $19.39 $18.62
Beauty Salon $67.86 $39.05

Detailed Alameda Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Ground Beef $3.73 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.89 $1.39
Milk $2.87 $2.05
Potatoes $3.35 $3.29
Pizza $12.66 $10.62
Beer $10.57 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.07 $2.34

Detailed Alameda Health Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Optometrist $136.92 $108.57
Doctor $146.83 $116.17
Dentist $133.38 $99.13

Detailed Alameda Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
Gasoline $3.38 $2.22
Tire Balancing $62.03 $50.07

Detailed Alameda Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Alameda California
All Electricity $269.4 $167.67
Phone $187.26 $175.64

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 157, 0.9x Alameda.

  • Berkeley, CA has a cost of living index of 194, 1.1x Alameda.

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 205, 1.1x Alameda.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Alameda
Oakland, CA 437,548 157 0.9x
Berkeley, CA 119,607 194 1.1x
San Mateo, CA 105,087 205 1.1x
San Leandro, CA 91,176 150 0.8x
San Ramon, CA 85,688 201 1.1x
South San Francisco, CA 66,331 182 1.0x
San Bruno, CA 43,775 184 1.0x
San Carlos, CA 30,754 237 1.3x
San Lorenzo, CA 30,420 151 0.8x
Belmont, CA 28,109 231 1.3x

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