Berkeley, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Berkeley, CA Summary
Cost of living in Berkeley 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 Berkeley 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 Berkeley is 223, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Berkeley is 2.2x higher than the national average.
Berkeley ranks as the #564 cheapest in California out of 634.
Berkeley ranks as the #6,389 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Berkeley is $1,342,285.
The median income in Berkeley is $108,558.
Table Of Contents
Berkeley's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Berkeley, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Berkeley has an overall cost of living index of 223, which is 2.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Berkeley has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Berkeley ranks as #564 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Berkeley ranks as the #70 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Berkeley, check out:
In California
In America
Berkeley Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Berkeley. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Berkeley is 113.
The Groceries index in Berkeley is 118.
The Health index in Berkeley is 122.
The Housing index in Berkeley is 457.
The Transportation index in Berkeley is 131.
The Utilities index in Berkeley is 136.
| Living Expense | Berkeley | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 223 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 113 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 118 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 122 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 457 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 131 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 136 | 128 | 100 | |
Berkeley, 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 Berkeley is $1,342,285.
The Median Rent in Berkeley is $2,127.
The Median Income in Berkeley is $108,558.
The Home Value To Income in Berkeley is 12.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Berkeley is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Berkeley | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,342,285 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,127 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $108,558 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 12.4x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Berkeley, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Berkeley Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Berkeley | 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 Berkeley Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Berkeley | 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 Berkeley Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Berkeley | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $137.4 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Berkeley Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Berkeley | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.6 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.97 | $59.92 |
Detailed Berkeley Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Berkeley | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.51 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Berkeley SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Berkeley
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Berkeley. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Richmond, CA has a cost of living index of 158, 0.7x Berkeley.
Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.3x Berkeley.
South San Francisco, CA has a cost of living index of 213, 1.0x Berkeley.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Berkeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, CA | 115,396 | 158 | 0.7x |
| Mountain View, CA | 82,363 | 283 | 1.3x |
| South San Francisco, CA | 64,487 | 213 | 1.0x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,612 | 220 | 1.0x |
| San Pablo, CA | 31,771 | 143 | 0.6x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,453 | 170 | 0.8x |
| El Cerrito, CA | 25,781 | 199 | 0.9x |
| Millbrae, CA | 22,589 | 289 | 1.3x |
| Albany, CA | 19,768 | 207 | 0.9x |
| Orinda, CA | 19,472 | 280 | 1.3x |
