Boulder Creek, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Boulder Creek, CA Summary

Cost of living in Boulder Creek 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 Boulder Creek 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 Boulder Creek is 166, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Boulder Creek is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Boulder Creek ranks as the #411 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Boulder Creek ranks as the #5,995 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Boulder Creek is $738,002.

  • The median income in Boulder Creek is $106,842.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
166
Boulder Creek's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Boulder Creek, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Boulder Creek has an overall cost of living index of 166, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Boulder Creek has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Boulder Creek ranks as #411 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Boulder Creek ranks as the #223 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Boulder Creek, check out:

411 out of 634
In California
5,995 out of 6,489
In America

Boulder Creek Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Boulder Creek is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Boulder Creek is 115.

  • The Health index in Boulder Creek is 121.

  • The Housing index in Boulder Creek is 280.

  • The Transportation index in Boulder Creek is 132.

  • The Utilities index in Boulder Creek is 134.

Living Expense Boulder Creek California National Average
Overall 166 141 100
Services 109 110 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 121 110 100
Housing 280 195 100
Transportation 132 125 100
Utilities 134 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Boulder Creek Cost of Living Vs. CA

Boulder Creek, 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 Boulder Creek is $738,002.

  • The Median Rent in Boulder Creek is $1,844.

  • The Median Income in Boulder Creek is $106,842.

  • The Home Value To Income in Boulder Creek is 6.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Boulder Creek is 0.21x.

Statistic Boulder Creek California United States
Median Home Value $738,002 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,844 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $106,842 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.9x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.24x 0.21x
$738,002
Median Home Value
$1,844
Median Rent
$106,842
Median Income

Boulder Creek, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Boulder Creek Services Costs Vs. California

Item Boulder Creek California
Shampoo $1.66 $1.28
Movie $13.31 $12.13
Bowling $33.3 $18
Haircut $33.94 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.51 $45.56

Detailed Boulder Creek Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Boulder Creek California
Ground Beef $5.79 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.13 $1.57
Milk $5.05 $4.67
Potatoes $4.77 $4.93
Pizza $14.92 $12.09
Beer $10.99 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Boulder Creek Health Costs Vs. California

Item Boulder Creek California
Optometrist $158.95 $125.68
Doctor $194.05 $135.78
Dentist $147.78 $113.29

Detailed Boulder Creek Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Boulder Creek California
Gasoline $4.81 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.62 $59.92

Detailed Boulder Creek Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Boulder Creek California
All Electricity $294.74 $193.99
Phone $190.07 $192.25

Boulder Creek SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
6
Education
9
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Boulder Creek

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

  • Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 266, 1.6x Boulder Creek.

  • Santa Clara, CA has a cost of living index of 234, 1.4x Boulder Creek.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.7x Boulder Creek.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Boulder Creek
Sunnyvale, CA 153,455 266 1.6x
Santa Clara, CA 129,239 234 1.4x
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 1.7x
Palo Alto, CA 67,231 334 2.0x
Cupertino, CA 58,886 326 2.0x
Campbell, CA 42,848 235 1.4x
Los Gatos, CA 32,773 308 1.9x
Los Altos, CA 30,736 339 2.0x
Saratoga, CA 30,335 342 2.1x
Scotts Valley, CA 12,138 194 1.2x

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