Cost of living in Chula Vista 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 Chula Vista 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 Chula Vista is 157, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Chula Vista is 1.6x higher than the national average.
Chula Vista ranks as the #356 cheapest in California out of 634.
Chula Vista ranks as the #5,839 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Chula Vista is $827,510.
The median income in Chula Vista is $105,173.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chula Vista has an overall cost of living index of 157, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Chula Vista has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Chula Vista ranks as #356 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Chula Vista ranks as the #278 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Chula Vista, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chula Vista. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Chula Vista is 114.
The Groceries index in Chula Vista is 116.
The Health index in Chula Vista is 107.
The Housing index in Chula Vista is 252.
The Transportation index in Chula Vista is 128.
The Utilities index in Chula Vista is 107.
| Living Expense | Chula Vista | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 157 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 116 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 107 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 252 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 128 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 107 | 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 Chula Vista is $827,510.
The Median Rent in Chula Vista is $2,122.
The Median Income in Chula Vista is $105,173.
The Home Value To Income in Chula Vista is 7.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Chula Vista is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Chula Vista | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $827,510 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,122 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $105,173 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Chula Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.5 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.89 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.92 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.77 | $45.56 |
| Item | Chula Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.47 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.05 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.98 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.25 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.73 | $3.7 |
| Item | Chula Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
| Item | Chula Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
| Item | Chula Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chula Vista. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 170, 1.1x Chula Vista.
La Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 1.0x Chula Vista.
Santee, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.9x Chula Vista.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Chula Vista |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | 1,385,061 | 170 | 1.1x |
| La Mesa, CA | 60,835 | 160 | 1.0x |
| Santee, CA | 59,485 | 149 | 0.9x |
| La Presa, CA | 36,669 | 143 | 0.9x |
| Lemon Grove, CA | 27,489 | 144 | 0.9x |
| Imperial Beach, CA | 25,897 | 160 | 1.0x |
| Rancho San Diego, CA | 22,264 | 171 | 1.1x |
| Winter Gardens, CA | 22,003 | 145 | 0.9x |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA | 19,651 | 171 | 1.1x |
| Coronado, CA | 18,558 | 294 | 1.9x |