Brea, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Brea, CA Summary

Cost of living in Brea 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 Brea 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 Brea is 175, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Brea is 1.8x higher than the national average.

  • Brea ranks as the #461 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Brea ranks as the #6,138 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Brea is $1,100,263.

  • The median income in Brea is $124,837.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
175
Brea's Overall Cost Of Living
1.8x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Brea, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Brea has an overall cost of living index of 175, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Brea ranks as #461 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Brea ranks as the #173 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Brea, check out:

461 out of 634
In California
6,138 out of 6,489
In America

Brea Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Brea is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Brea is 115.

  • The Health index in Brea is 99.

  • The Housing index in Brea is 321.

  • The Transportation index in Brea is 125.

  • The Utilities index in Brea is 95.

Living Expense Brea California National Average
Overall 175 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 99 110 100
Housing 321 195 100
Transportation 125 125 100
Utilities 95 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Brea Cost of Living Vs. CA

Brea, 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 Brea is $1,100,263.

  • The Median Rent in Brea is $2,285.

  • The Median Income in Brea is $124,837.

  • The Home Value To Income in Brea is 8.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Brea is 0.22x.

Statistic Brea California United States
Median Home Value $1,100,263 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,285 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $124,837 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.8x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,100,263
Median Home Value
$2,285
Median Rent
$124,837
Median Income

Brea, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Brea Services Costs Vs. California

Item Brea 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 Brea Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Brea 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 Brea Health Costs Vs. California

Item Brea California
Optometrist $112.92 $125.68
Doctor $95.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.28 $113.29

Detailed Brea Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Brea California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed Brea Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Brea California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Brea SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Brea

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

  • Fullerton, CA has a cost of living index of 171, 1.0x Brea.

  • Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 164, 0.9x Brea.

  • Yorba Linda, CA has a cost of living index of 200, 1.1x Brea.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Brea
Fullerton, CA 141,278 171 1.0x
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 0.9x
Yorba Linda, CA 67,407 200 1.1x
La Habra, CA 62,233 159 0.9x
Diamond Bar, CA 53,750 174 1.0x
Placentia, CA 52,384 169 1.0x
Cypress, CA 49,531 172 1.0x
La Mirada, CA 46,945 163 0.9x
Rowland Heights, CA 46,787 165 0.9x
Walnut, CA 27,857 194 1.1x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?