Big Bear City, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Big Bear City, CA Summary

Cost of living in Big Bear City 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 Big Bear City 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 Big Bear City is 121, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Big Bear City is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Big Bear City ranks as the #124 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Big Bear City ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Big Bear City is $396,951.

  • The median income in Big Bear City is $72,457.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
121
Big Bear City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Big Bear City, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Big Bear City has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Big Bear City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Big Bear City ranks as #124 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Big Bear City ranks as the #510 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Big Bear City, check out:

124 out of 634
In California
4,476 out of 6,489
In America

Big Bear City Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Big Bear City is 111.

  • The Groceries index in Big Bear City is 112.

  • The Health index in Big Bear City is 98.

  • The Housing index in Big Bear City is 150.

  • The Transportation index in Big Bear City is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Big Bear City is 95.

Living Expense Big Bear City California National Average
Overall 121 141 100
Services 111 110 100
Groceries 112 112 100
Health 98 110 100
Housing 150 195 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 95 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Big Bear City Cost of Living Vs. CA

Big Bear City, 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 Big Bear City is $396,951.

  • The Median Rent in Big Bear City is $1,454.

  • The Median Income in Big Bear City is $72,457.

  • The Home Value To Income in Big Bear City is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Big Bear City is 0.24x.

Statistic Big Bear City California United States
Median Home Value $396,951 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,454 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $72,457 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.5x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.21x
$396,951
Median Home Value
$1,454
Median Rent
$72,457
Median Income

Big Bear City, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Big Bear City Services Costs Vs. California

Item Big Bear City California
Shampoo $1.34 $1.28
Movie $11.04 $12.13
Bowling $21.11 $18
Haircut $27.27 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.78 $45.56

Detailed Big Bear City Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Big Bear City California
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.49 $1.57
Milk $4.92 $4.67
Potatoes $4.92 $4.93
Pizza $15.31 $12.09
Beer $10.26 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.61 $3.7

Detailed Big Bear City Health Costs Vs. California

Item Big Bear City California
Optometrist $112.92 $125.68
Doctor $95.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.28 $113.29

Detailed Big Bear City Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Big Bear City California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed Big Bear City Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Big Bear City California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Big Bear City SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
7
Education
8
Commute
6

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