Costa Mesa, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Costa Mesa, CA Summary
Cost of living in Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa is 186, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Costa Mesa is 1.9x higher than the national average.
Costa Mesa ranks as the #494 cheapest in California out of 634.
Costa Mesa ranks as the #6,239 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Costa Mesa is $1,339,860.
The median income in Costa Mesa is $110,073.
Table Of Contents
Costa Mesa's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Costa Mesa, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Costa Mesa has an overall cost of living index of 186, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Costa Mesa has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Costa Mesa ranks as #494 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Costa Mesa ranks as the #140 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Costa Mesa, check out:
In California
In America
Costa Mesa Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Costa Mesa. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Costa Mesa is 111.
The Groceries index in Costa Mesa is 111.
The Health index in Costa Mesa is 100.
The Housing index in Costa Mesa is 367.
The Transportation index in Costa Mesa is 122.
The Utilities index in Costa Mesa is 95.
| Living Expense | Costa Mesa | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 186 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 111 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 111 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 367 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 122 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 95 | 128 | 100 | |
Costa Mesa, 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 Costa Mesa is $1,339,860.
The Median Rent in Costa Mesa is $2,395.
The Median Income in Costa Mesa is $110,073.
The Home Value To Income in Costa Mesa is 12.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Costa Mesa is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Costa Mesa | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,339,860 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,395 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $110,073 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 12.2x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Costa Mesa, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Costa Mesa Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Costa Mesa | 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 Costa Mesa Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Costa Mesa | 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 Costa Mesa Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Costa Mesa | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
Detailed Costa Mesa Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Costa Mesa | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
Detailed Costa Mesa Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Costa Mesa | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Costa Mesa SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Costa Mesa
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Costa Mesa. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Santa Ana, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 0.8x Costa Mesa.
Irvine, CA has a cost of living index of 198, 1.1x Costa Mesa.
Huntington Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 189, 1.0x Costa Mesa.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Costa Mesa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana, CA | 311,639 | 154 | 0.8x |
| Irvine, CA | 308,160 | 198 | 1.1x |
| Huntington Beach, CA | 196,010 | 189 | 1.0x |
| Garden Grove, CA | 170,603 | 160 | 0.9x |
| Orange, CA | 138,723 | 170 | 0.9x |
| Mission Viejo, CA | 92,415 | 184 | 1.0x |
| Westminster, CA | 90,147 | 164 | 0.9x |
| Lake Forest, CA | 85,846 | 175 | 0.9x |
| Newport Beach, CA | 84,304 | 325 | 1.7x |
| Lakewood, CA | 80,510 | 164 | 0.9x |
