Berkeley, CA Cost Of Living

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

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 194, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Berkeley ranks as the #564 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Berkeley ranks as the #6,294 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Berkeley is $1,111,000.

  • The median income in Berkeley is $97,834.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
194
Berkeley's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
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 194, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Berkeley has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Berkeley ranks as #564 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Berkeley ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Berkeley, check out:

564 out of 635
In California
6,294 out of 6,412
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 120.

  • The Groceries index in Berkeley is 134.

  • The Health index in Berkeley is 126.

  • The Housing index in Berkeley is 348.

  • The Transportation index in Berkeley is 145.

  • The Utilities index in Berkeley is 138.

Living Expense Berkeley California National Average
Overall 194 139 100
Services 120 110 100
Groceries 134 112 100
Health 126 109 100
Housing 348 204 100
Transportation 145 126 100
Utilities 138 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Berkeley Cost of Living Vs. CA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Berkeley is $1,111,000.

  • The Median Rent in Berkeley is $1,886.

  • The Median Income in Berkeley is $97,834.

  • The Home Value To Income in Berkeley is 11.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Berkeley is 0.23x.

Statistic Berkeley California United States
Median Home Value $1,111,000 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,886 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $97,834 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 11.4x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Berkeley, CA
$1,111,000
Median Home Value
$1,886
Median Rent
$97,834
Median Income

Berkeley, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Berkeley Services Costs Vs. California

Item Berkeley 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 Berkeley Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Berkeley 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 Berkeley Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Berkeley Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Berkeley Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

Berkeley SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
10
Education
9.5
Commute
4

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 137, 0.7x Berkeley.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 220, 1.1x Berkeley.

  • South San Francisco, CA has a cost of living index of 182, 0.9x Berkeley.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Berkeley
Richmond, CA 115,677 137 0.7x
Mountain View, CA 82,409 220 1.1x
South San Francisco, CA 66,331 182 0.9x
San Bruno, CA 43,775 184 0.9x
San Pablo, CA 31,975 126 0.6x
San Lorenzo, CA 30,420 151 0.8x
El Cerrito, CA 25,898 177 0.9x
Millbrae, CA 23,083 229 1.2x
Albany, CA 19,958 185 1.0x
Orinda, CA 19,497 240 1.2x

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