What is the cost of living in Cathedral City, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cathedral City has an overall cost of living index of 127, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Cathedral City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Cathedral City ranks as #145 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Cathedral City ranks as the #489 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Cathedral City, check out:
Cathedral City Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cathedral City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Cathedral City is 112.
The Groceries index in Cathedral City is 113.
The Health index in Cathedral City is 157.
The Housing index in Cathedral City is 122.
The Transportation index in Cathedral City is 120.
The Utilities index in Cathedral City is 120.
| Living Expense | Cathedral City | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 127 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 112 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 113 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 157 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 122 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 120 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 120 | 121 | 100 |
Cathedral City Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Cathedral City Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Cathedral City, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Cathedral City is $483,430.
The Median Rent in Cathedral City is $1,601.
The Median Income in Cathedral City is $73,572.
The Home Value To Income in Cathedral City is 6.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Cathedral City is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Cathedral City | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $483,430 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,601 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $73,572 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.6x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Cathedral City, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Cathedral City Services costs vs. California
| Item | Cathedral City | 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 Cathedral City Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Cathedral City | 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 Cathedral City Health costs vs. California
| Item | Cathedral City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
Detailed Cathedral City Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Cathedral City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
Detailed Cathedral City Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Cathedral City | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |








