What is the cost of living in El Cajon, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, El Cajon has an overall cost of living index of 152, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, El Cajon has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in El Cajon ranks as #317 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies El Cajon ranks as the #317 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in El Cajon, check out:
El Cajon Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in El Cajon. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in El Cajon is 110.
The Groceries index in El Cajon is 115.
The Health index in El Cajon is 225.
The Housing index in El Cajon is 119.
The Transportation index in El Cajon is 121.
The Utilities index in El Cajon is 128.
| Living Expense | El Cajon | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 152 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 110 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 115 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 225 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 119 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 121 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 128 | 121 | 100 |
El Cajon 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 El Cajon Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
El Cajon, 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 El Cajon is $816,316.
The Median Rent in El Cajon is $1,856.
The Median Income in El Cajon is $67,511.
The Home Value To Income in El Cajon is 12.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in El Cajon is 0.33x.
| Statistic | El Cajon | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $816,316 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,856 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $67,511 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 12.1x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.33x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
El Cajon, CA Costs By Category
Detailed El Cajon Services costs vs. California
| Item | El Cajon | 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 |
Detailed El Cajon Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | El Cajon | 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 |
Detailed El Cajon Health costs vs. California
| Item | El Cajon | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
Detailed El Cajon Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | El Cajon | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
Detailed El Cajon Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | El Cajon | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
El Cajon SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around El Cajon
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around El Cajon. 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 175, 1.2x El Cajon.
La Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 161, 1.1x El Cajon.
Santee, CA has a cost of living index of 155, 1.0x El Cajon.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. El Cajon |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | 1,389,526 | 175 | 1.2x |
| La Mesa, CA | 60,797 | 161 | 1.1x |
| Santee, CA | 59,332 | 155 | 1.0x |
| Poway, CA | 48,713 | 179 | 1.2x |
| La Presa, CA | 34,962 | 145 | 1.0x |
| Lemon Grove, CA | 27,686 | 145 | 1.0x |
| Winter Gardens, CA | 22,131 | 149 | 1.0x |
| Rancho San Diego, CA | 21,272 | 172 | 1.1x |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA | 19,765 | 171 | 1.1x |
| Bostonia, CA | 16,765 | 140 | 0.9x |
