Albany, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Albany, CA Summary

Cost of living in Albany 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 Albany 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 Albany is 207, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Albany ranks as the #542 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Albany ranks as the #6,344 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Albany is $1,171,851.

  • The median income in Albany is $135,927.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
207
Albany's Overall Cost Of Living
2.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Albany, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Albany has an overall cost of living index of 207, which is 2.1x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Albany ranks as #542 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Albany ranks as the #92 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Albany, check out:

542 out of 634
In California
6,344 out of 6,489
In America

Albany Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Albany is 116.

  • The Groceries index in Albany is 119.

  • The Health index in Albany is 123.

  • The Housing index in Albany is 407.

  • The Transportation index in Albany is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Albany is 134.

Living Expense Albany California National Average
Overall 207 141 100
Services 116 110 100
Groceries 119 112 100
Health 123 110 100
Housing 407 195 100
Transportation 130 125 100
Utilities 134 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Albany Cost of Living Vs. CA

Albany, 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 Albany is $1,171,851.

  • The Median Rent in Albany is $2,389.

  • The Median Income in Albany is $135,927.

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

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Albany is 0.21x.

Statistic Albany California United States
Median Home Value $1,171,851 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,389 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $135,927 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.6x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,171,851
Median Home Value
$2,389
Median Rent
$135,927
Median Income

Albany, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Albany Services Costs Vs. California

Item Albany 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 Albany Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Albany 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 Albany Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Albany Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Albany Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

Albany SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
9.5
Education
9
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Albany

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

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

  • Richmond, CA has a cost of living index of 158, 0.8x Albany.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.4x Albany.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Albany
Berkeley, CA 120,223 223 1.1x
Richmond, CA 115,396 158 0.8x
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 1.4x
South San Francisco, CA 64,487 213 1.0x
San Bruno, CA 42,612 220 1.1x
San Pablo, CA 31,771 143 0.7x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.8x
El Cerrito, CA 25,781 199 1.0x
Lafayette, CA 25,277 284 1.4x
Emeryville, CA 12,756 170 0.8x

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