What is the cost of living in East Palo Alto, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, East Palo Alto has an overall cost of living index of 211, which is 2.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, East Palo Alto has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in East Palo Alto ranks as #544 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies East Palo Alto ranks as the #90 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in East Palo Alto, check out:
East Palo Alto Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in East Palo Alto. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in East Palo Alto is 118.
The Groceries index in East Palo Alto is 116.
The Health index in East Palo Alto is 418.
The Housing index in East Palo Alto is 124.
The Transportation index in East Palo Alto is 131.
The Utilities index in East Palo Alto is 133.
| Living Expense | East Palo Alto | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 211 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 118 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 116 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 418 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 124 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 131 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 133 | 121 | 100 |
East Palo Alto 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 East Palo Alto Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
East Palo Alto, 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 East Palo Alto is $1,034,440.
The Median Rent in East Palo Alto is $2,244.
The Median Income in East Palo Alto is $113,493.
The Home Value To Income in East Palo Alto is 9.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in East Palo Alto is 0.24x.
| Statistic | East Palo Alto | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,034,440 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,244 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $113,493 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.1x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
East Palo Alto, CA Costs By Category
Detailed East Palo Alto Services costs vs. California
| Item | East Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.66 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.31 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $33.3 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.94 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.51 | $45.56 |
Detailed East Palo Alto Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | East Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.79 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.13 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.05 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.77 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.92 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
Detailed East Palo Alto Health costs vs. California
| Item | East Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed East Palo Alto Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | East Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed East Palo Alto Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | East Palo Alto | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
East Palo Alto SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around East Palo Alto
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around East Palo Alto. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 271, 1.3x East Palo Alto.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 250, 1.2x East Palo Alto.
Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 287, 1.4x East Palo Alto.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. East Palo Alto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 154,236 | 271 | 1.3x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,105 | 250 | 1.2x |
| Mountain View, CA | 83,732 | 287 | 1.4x |
| Pleasanton, CA | 76,960 | 232 | 1.1x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,237 | 341 | 1.6x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,566 | 329 | 1.6x |
| Newark, CA | 46,903 | 194 | 0.9x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,307 | 214 | 1.0x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,727 | 337 | 1.6x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,698 | 341 | 1.6x |
