Davis, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Davis, CA Summary

Cost of living in Davis 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 Davis 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 Davis is 172, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Davis is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Davis ranks as the #447 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Davis ranks as the #6,101 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Davis is $837,456.

  • The median income in Davis is $87,421.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
172
Davis's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Davis, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Davis has an overall cost of living index of 172, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Davis has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Davis ranks as #447 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Davis ranks as the #187 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Davis, check out:

447 out of 634
In California
6,101 out of 6,489
In America

Davis Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Davis is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Davis is 108.

  • The Health index in Davis is 111.

  • The Housing index in Davis is 310.

  • The Transportation index in Davis is 121.

  • The Utilities index in Davis is 116.

Living Expense Davis California National Average
Overall 172 141 100
Services 107 110 100
Groceries 108 112 100
Health 111 110 100
Housing 310 195 100
Transportation 121 125 100
Utilities 116 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Davis Cost of Living Vs. CA

Davis, 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 Davis is $837,456.

  • The Median Rent in Davis is $2,043.

  • The Median Income in Davis is $87,421.

  • The Home Value To Income in Davis is 9.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Davis is 0.28x.

Statistic Davis California United States
Median Home Value $837,456 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,043 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $87,421 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.6x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.24x 0.21x
$837,456
Median Home Value
$2,043
Median Rent
$87,421
Median Income

Davis, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Davis Services Costs Vs. California

Item Davis California
Shampoo $1.44 $1.28
Movie $13.76 $12.13
Bowling $22.22 $18
Haircut $40.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $60.53 $45.56

Detailed Davis Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Davis California
Ground Beef $5.56 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.06 $1.57
Milk $4.93 $4.67
Potatoes $4.69 $4.93
Pizza $13.98 $12.09
Beer $10.49 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Davis Health Costs Vs. California

Item Davis California
Optometrist $153.5 $125.68
Doctor $201.43 $135.78
Dentist $115.72 $113.29

Detailed Davis Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Davis California
Gasoline $4.51 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.67 $59.92

Detailed Davis Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Davis California
All Electricity $238.53 $193.99
Phone $190.81 $192.25

Davis SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
9.5
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
9.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Davis

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

  • Sacramento, CA has a cost of living index of 134, 0.8x Davis.

  • Vacaville, CA has a cost of living index of 147, 0.9x Davis.

  • Arden-Arcade, CA has a cost of living index of 134, 0.8x Davis.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Davis
Sacramento, CA 524,802 134 0.8x
Vacaville, CA 102,085 147 0.9x
Arden-Arcade, CA 96,319 134 0.8x
Woodland, CA 61,256 133 0.8x
West Sacramento, CA 54,496 132 0.8x
Florin, CA 49,536 122 0.7x
Dixon, CA 19,158 139 0.8x
Rio Linda, CA 16,951 126 0.7x
Winters, CA 7,453 141 0.8x

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