Big Bear Lake, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Big Bear Lake, CA Summary

Cost of living in Big Bear Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake is 131, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Big Bear Lake is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Big Bear Lake ranks as the #189 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Big Bear Lake ranks as the #5,035 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Big Bear Lake is $555,588.

  • The median income in Big Bear Lake is $74,728.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
131
Big Bear Lake's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Big Bear Lake has an overall cost of living index of 131, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Big Bear Lake ranks as #189 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Big Bear Lake ranks as the #445 most expensive place in the Golden State.

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

189 out of 634
In California
5,035 out of 6,489
In America

Big Bear Lake Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Big Bear Lake is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Big Bear Lake is 114.

  • The Health index in Big Bear Lake is 97.

  • The Housing index in Big Bear Lake is 182.

  • The Transportation index in Big Bear Lake is 123.

  • The Utilities index in Big Bear Lake is 94.

Living Expense Big Bear Lake California National Average
Overall 131 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 114 112 100
Health 97 110 100
Housing 182 195 100
Transportation 123 125 100
Utilities 94 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Big Bear Lake Cost of Living Vs. CA

Big Bear Lake, 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 Lake is $555,588.

  • The Median Rent in Big Bear Lake is $1,278.

  • The Median Income in Big Bear Lake is $74,728.

  • The Home Value To Income in Big Bear Lake is 7.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Big Bear Lake is 0.21x.

Statistic Big Bear Lake California United States
Median Home Value $555,588 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,278 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $74,728 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.4x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.24x 0.21x
$555,588
Median Home Value
$1,278
Median Rent
$74,728
Median Income

Big Bear Lake, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Big Bear Lake Services Costs Vs. California

Item Big Bear Lake 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 Lake Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Big Bear Lake 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 Lake Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Big Bear Lake Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Big Bear Lake Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

Big Bear Lake SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
7
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Big Bear Lake

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

  • Highland, CA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.0x Big Bear Lake.

  • Yucaipa, CA has a cost of living index of 129, 1.0x Big Bear Lake.

  • Lake Arrowhead, CA has a cost of living index of 133, 1.0x Big Bear Lake.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Big Bear Lake
Highland, CA 56,690 128 1.0x
Yucaipa, CA 54,348 129 1.0x
Lake Arrowhead, CA 10,746 133 1.0x
Calimesa, CA 10,680 117 0.9x
Mentone, CA 9,487 125 1.0x
Cherry Valley, CA 7,302 121 0.9x
Lucerne Valley, CA 5,946 104 0.8x

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