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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Castro Valley | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $137.4 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.27 | $113.29 |
| Item | Castro Valley | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.6 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.97 | $59.92 |
| Item | Castro Valley | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.51 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
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 |