Bell Gardens, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Bell Gardens, CA Summary

Cost of living in Bell Gardens 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 Bell Gardens 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 Bell Gardens is 140, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bell Gardens is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Bell Gardens ranks as the #248 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Bell Gardens ranks as the #5,404 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bell Gardens is $679,797.

  • The median income in Bell Gardens is $55,372.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
140
Bell Gardens's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bell Gardens, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bell Gardens has an overall cost of living index of 140, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Bell Gardens has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Bell Gardens ranks as #248 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Bell Gardens ranks as the #386 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Bell Gardens, check out:

248 out of 634
In California
5,404 out of 6,489
In America

Bell Gardens Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Bell Gardens is 116.

  • The Groceries index in Bell Gardens is 114.

  • The Health index in Bell Gardens is 106.

  • The Housing index in Bell Gardens is 195.

  • The Transportation index in Bell Gardens is 124.

  • The Utilities index in Bell Gardens is 113.

Living Expense Bell Gardens California National Average
Overall 140 141 100
Services 116 110 100
Groceries 114 112 100
Health 106 110 100
Housing 195 195 100
Transportation 124 125 100
Utilities 113 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Bell Gardens Cost of Living Vs. CA

Bell Gardens, 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 Bell Gardens is $679,797.

  • The Median Rent in Bell Gardens is $1,658.

  • The Median Income in Bell Gardens is $55,372.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bell Gardens is 12.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bell Gardens is 0.36x.

Statistic Bell Gardens California United States
Median Home Value $679,797 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,658 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $55,372 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 12.3x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.36x 0.24x 0.21x
$679,797
Median Home Value
$1,658
Median Rent
$55,372
Median Income

Bell Gardens, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Bell Gardens Services Costs Vs. California

Item Bell Gardens California
Shampoo $1.41 $1.28
Movie $13.46 $12.13
Bowling $19.07 $18
Haircut $24.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.33 $45.56

Detailed Bell Gardens Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Bell Gardens California
Ground Beef $6.26 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.08 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $16.13 $12.09
Beer $9.6 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Bell Gardens Health Costs Vs. California

Item Bell Gardens California
Optometrist $129.09 $125.68
Doctor $119.86 $135.78
Dentist $108.07 $113.29

Detailed Bell Gardens Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Bell Gardens California
Gasoline $4.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.33 $59.92

Detailed Bell Gardens Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Bell Gardens California
All Electricity $326.49 $193.99
Phone $182.78 $192.25

Bell Gardens SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
2
Diversity
3
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
2
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bell Gardens

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

  • Downey, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 1.1x Bell Gardens.

  • South Gate, CA has a cost of living index of 140, 1.0x Bell Gardens.

  • Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 164, 1.2x Bell Gardens.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bell Gardens
Downey, CA 111,793 160 1.1x
South Gate, CA 91,836 140 1.0x
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 1.2x
Lynwood, CA 65,291 143 1.0x
Huntington Park, CA 53,658 139 1.0x
Cypress, CA 49,531 172 1.2x
La Mirada, CA 46,945 163 1.2x
Bell, CA 32,830 140 1.0x
Maywood, CA 24,593 139 1.0x
Cudahy, CA 22,325 143 1.0x

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