East Los Angeles, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In East Los Angeles, CA Summary

Cost of living in East Los Angeles 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 East Los Angeles 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 East Los Angeles is 144, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in East Los Angeles is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • East Los Angeles ranks as the #278 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • East Los Angeles ranks as the #5,533 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in East Los Angeles is $664,073.

  • The median income in East Los Angeles is $68,378.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
144
East Los Angeles's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in East Los Angeles, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, East Los Angeles has an overall cost of living index of 144, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, East Los Angeles has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in East Los Angeles ranks as #278 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies East Los Angeles ranks as the #356 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in East Los Angeles, check out:

278 out of 634
In California
5,533 out of 6,489
In America

East Los Angeles Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in East Los Angeles is 114.

  • The Groceries index in East Los Angeles is 110.

  • The Health index in East Los Angeles is 107.

  • The Housing index in East Los Angeles is 205.

  • The Transportation index in East Los Angeles is 125.

  • The Utilities index in East Los Angeles is 110.

Living Expense East Los Angeles California National Average
Overall 144 141 100
Services 114 110 100
Groceries 110 112 100
Health 107 110 100
Housing 205 195 100
Transportation 125 125 100
Utilities 110 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
East Los Angeles Cost of Living Vs. CA

East Los Angeles, 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 East Los Angeles is $664,073.

  • The Median Rent in East Los Angeles is $1,431.

  • The Median Income in East Los Angeles is $68,378.

  • The Home Value To Income in East Los Angeles is 9.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in East Los Angeles is 0.25x.

Statistic East Los Angeles California United States
Median Home Value $664,073 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,431 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $68,378 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.7x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.21x
$664,073
Median Home Value
$1,431
Median Rent
$68,378
Median Income

East Los Angeles, CA Costs By Category

Detailed East Los Angeles Services Costs Vs. California

Item East Los Angeles California
Shampoo $1.41 $1.28
Movie $13.46 $12.13
Bowling $19.07 $18
Haircut $24.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.33 $45.56

Detailed East Los Angeles Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item East Los Angeles California
Ground Beef $6.26 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.08 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $16.13 $12.09
Beer $9.6 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed East Los Angeles Health Costs Vs. California

Item East Los Angeles California
Optometrist $129.09 $125.68
Doctor $119.86 $135.78
Dentist $108.07 $113.29

Detailed East Los Angeles Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item East Los Angeles California
Gasoline $4.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.33 $59.92

Detailed East Los Angeles Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item East Los Angeles California
All Electricity $326.49 $193.99
Phone $182.78 $192.25

East Los Angeles SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
9
Affordability
3
Diversity
3
Safety
N/A
Amenities
10
Education
3
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around East Los Angeles

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

  • Alhambra, CA has a cost of living index of 169, 1.2x East Los Angeles.

  • Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 164, 1.1x East Los Angeles.

  • Montebello, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 1.1x East Los Angeles.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. East Los Angeles
Alhambra, CA 81,483 169 1.2x
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 1.1x
Montebello, CA 61,376 154 1.1x
Monterey Park, CA 59,639 169 1.2x
Huntington Park, CA 53,658 139 1.0x
Cypress, CA 49,531 172 1.2x
La Mirada, CA 46,945 163 1.1x
Bell Gardens, CA 38,661 140 1.0x
Bell, CA 32,830 140 1.0x
Maywood, CA 24,593 139 1.0x

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