Albany, CA Cost Of Living

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

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 185, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Albany is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Albany ranks as the #544 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Albany ranks as the #6,242 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Albany is $963,700.

  • The median income in Albany is $113,602.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
185
Albany's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
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 185, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Albany ranks as #544 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Albany ranks as the #91 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Albany, check out:

544 out of 635
In California
6,242 out of 6,412
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 120.

  • The Groceries index in Albany is 131.

  • The Health index in Albany is 126.

  • The Housing index in Albany is 319.

  • The Transportation index in Albany is 142.

  • The Utilities index in Albany is 137.

Living Expense Albany California National Average
Overall 185 139 100
Services 120 110 100
Groceries 131 112 100
Health 126 109 100
Housing 319 204 100
Transportation 142 126 100
Utilities 137 124 100
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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Albany is $963,700.

  • The Median Rent in Albany is $2,110.

  • The Median Income in Albany is $113,602.

  • The Home Value To Income in Albany is 8.5x.

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

Statistic Albany California United States
Median Home Value $963,700 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,110 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $113,602 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 8.5x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Albany, CA
$963,700
Median Home Value
$2,110
Median Rent
$113,602
Median Income

Albany, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Albany Services Costs Vs. California

Item Albany 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 Albany Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Albany 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 Albany Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Albany Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Albany Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

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 194, 1.0x Albany.

  • Richmond, CA has a cost of living index of 137, 0.7x Albany.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 220, 1.2x Albany.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Albany
Berkeley, CA 119,607 194 1.0x
Richmond, CA 115,677 137 0.7x
Mountain View, CA 82,409 220 1.2x
South San Francisco, CA 66,331 182 1.0x
San Bruno, CA 43,775 184 1.0x
San Pablo, CA 31,975 126 0.7x
San Lorenzo, CA 30,420 151 0.8x
El Cerrito, CA 25,898 177 1.0x
Lafayette, CA 25,384 236 1.3x
Emeryville, CA 12,747 149 0.8x

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