Castro Valley, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Castro Valley, CA Summary

Cost of living in Castro Valley 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 Castro Valley 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 Castro Valley is 196, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Castro Valley is 2.0x higher than the national average.

  • Castro Valley ranks as the #518 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Castro Valley ranks as the #6,296 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Castro Valley is $1,090,992.

  • The median income in Castro Valley is $138,069.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
196
Castro Valley's Overall Cost Of Living
2.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Castro Valley, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Castro Valley has an overall cost of living index of 196, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Castro Valley has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Castro Valley ranks as #518 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Castro Valley ranks as the #116 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Castro Valley, check out:

518 out of 634
In California
6,296 out of 6,489
In America

Castro Valley Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Castro Valley is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Castro Valley is 118.

  • The Health index in Castro Valley is 122.

  • The Housing index in Castro Valley is 371.

  • The Transportation index in Castro Valley is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Castro Valley is 136.

Living Expense Castro Valley California National Average
Overall 196 141 100
Services 113 110 100
Groceries 118 112 100
Health 122 110 100
Housing 371 195 100
Transportation 130 125 100
Utilities 136 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Castro Valley Cost of Living Vs. CA

Castro Valley, 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 Castro Valley is $1,090,992.

  • The Median Rent in Castro Valley is $2,499.

  • The Median Income in Castro Valley is $138,069.

  • The Home Value To Income in Castro Valley is 7.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Castro Valley is 0.22x.

Statistic Castro Valley California United States
Median Home Value $1,090,992 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,499 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $138,069 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.9x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,090,992
Median Home Value
$2,499
Median Rent
$138,069
Median Income

Castro Valley, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Castro Valley Services Costs Vs. California

Item Castro Valley California
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $16.46 $12.13
Bowling $27.22 $18
Haircut $25.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.0 $45.56

Detailed Castro Valley Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Castro Valley California
Ground Beef $5.7 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.43 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Castro Valley Health Costs Vs. California

Item Castro Valley California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed Castro Valley Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Castro Valley California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed Castro Valley Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Castro Valley California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Castro Valley SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
5
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Castro Valley

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

  • Hayward, CA has a cost of living index of 174, 0.9x Castro Valley.

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 1.3x Castro Valley.

  • San Leandro, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 0.9x Castro Valley.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Castro Valley
Hayward, CA 159,201 174 0.9x
San Mateo, CA 103,555 248 1.3x
San Leandro, CA 88,531 173 0.9x
San Ramon, CA 85,734 222 1.1x
Pleasanton, CA 77,500 226 1.2x
Danville, CA 43,426 240 1.2x
Menlo Park, CA 32,775 334 1.7x
San Carlos, CA 29,797 311 1.6x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.9x
Belmont, CA 27,505 294 1.5x

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