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 125, 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 142.
The standard of living in Big Bear City ranks as #132 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Big Bear City ranks as the #502 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Big Bear City, check out:
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 fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Big Bear City is 114.
The Groceries index in Big Bear City is 115.
The Health index in Big Bear City is 148.
The Housing index in Big Bear City is 119.
The Transportation index in Big Bear City is 124.
The Utilities index in Big Bear City is 115.
| Living Expense | Big Bear City | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 125 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 115 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 148 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 119 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 124 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 115 | 121 | 100 |
Big Bear City Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Big Bear City Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Big Bear City is $395,851.
The Median Rent in Big Bear City is $1,854.
The Median Income in Big Bear City is $71,511.
The Home Value To Income in Big Bear City is 5.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Big Bear City is 0.31x.
| Statistic | Big Bear City | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $395,851 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,854 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $71,511 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.5x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.31x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
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 |
